Clive MacDonnell Dixon

Who was Clive MacDonnell Dixon?

Major Clive MacDonnell Raylton Dixon, 10th Baron Dixon of Hyewortone, VC was an English illustrator and soldier, best known for the charming images in his book The Leaguer of Ladysmith, created during the four-month Siege of Ladysmith in South Africa. This material also appeared in the Ladysmith Lyre at the time of the siege. The Sphere praised the book, describing it as 'highly humorous and showing comic sketching genius'.

Dixon was the fifth-born in a family of 6 daughters and 2 sons of Sir Raylton Dixon, shipbuilder from Cleveland Dockyard, Middlesbrough-on-Tees, mayor of Middlesbrough in 1889, himself an amateur artist and caricaturist, and great, great grandson of George Dixon and great great nephew of Jeremiah Dixon.

He attended Rugby School before embarking on a military career and was appointed second lieutenant in the 16th Lancers in October 1890, and Captain in 1899. During the Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1901 he was aide-de-camp to Sir George White, and was promoted a brevet Major in November 1900.