Clive MacDonnell Dixon
Major Clive MacDonnell Dixon (10 February 1870 in Middlesbrough – 5 November 1914 in Ypres) 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'.
Clive MacDonnell Dixon

Clive MacDonnell Dixon (1870-1915) · Artists Illustrators of the Anglo-Boer War - Ryno Greenwall · Public domain
- Name
- Clive MacDonnell Dixon
- Born
- 10 February 1870
- Birthplace
- Middlesbrough, England
- Died
- 5 November 1914
- Place of death
- Ypres salient, Belgium
- Known for
- His book "The Leaguer of Ladysmith"
- Nationality
- South Africa
- Occupation
- illustrator
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Major Clive MacDonnell Dixon (10 February 1870 in Middlesbrough – 5 November 1914 in Ypres) 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'.
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Note VALÉORINE
Clive MacDonnell Dixon (1870–1914) was an illustrator, of South African nationality. The illustrator was born in Middlesbrough and died in Ypres. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q5134623 · wikipedia · Clive MacDonnell Dixon
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Clive MacDonnell Dixon • Born — 10 February 1870 • Birthplace — Middlesbrough, England • Died — 5 November 1914 • Place of death — Ypres salient, Belgium • Death Cause — Killed in action • Workplaces — 16th Lancers • Known for — His book "The Leaguer of Ladysmith"
Background
Background
Dixon was the fifth-born in a family of 6 daughters and 2 sons of Sir Raylton Dixon (1838–1901), 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.
Career
Career
Dixon attended Rugby School and Sandhurst before embarking on a military career when he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 16th Lancers on 8 October 1890. He was promoted to lieutenant on 27 January 1893, and to captain on 28 January 1899. During the early part of the Second Boer War 1899-1900 he was aide-de-camp to Sir George White. He was appointed adjutant to his regiment on 22 March 1900, and served as such for the rest of the war, during which he was promoted a brevet major on 29 November 1900. Dixon resigned from the army in August 1902 following the end of the war, and returned home on the SS Scot in September 1902. He re-enlisted after the outbreak of the First World War, and was killed at the First Battle of Ypres shortly after receiving the substantive promotion to Major.
Family
Family
Dixon married Lilian Margaret Bell daughter of John Bell of Rushpool Hall, with whom he had three sons, Raylton, John and William and three daughters Margaret, Elizabeth and Barbara. He was buried in the Nieuwkerke Churchyard in Belgium. Several watercolours by Dixon are kept by the Africana Museum.

Painted by Captain Clive MacDonnell Dixon, aide-de-camp to Sir George White, both caught up in the siege of Ladysmith. Dixon produced a book dealing with this experience and illustrated with his watercolours
Clive MacDonnell Dixon (1870-1915) · Artists Illustrators of the Anglo-Boer War - Ryno Greenwall

Cover of "The Leaguer of Ladysmith"
Clive MacDonnell Dixon (1870-1915) · Artists Illustrators of the Anglo-Boer War - Ryno Greenwall
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Middlesbrough.
Birth place
Ypres.
Death place
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Artists and Illustrators of the Anglo-Boer War - Ryno Greenwall
- 2.Descendants of Ralph Dixon.
- 3.Hart′s Army list, 1902
- 4.27359. 27 September 1901. 6305.
- 5.27467. 22 August 1902. 5464.
- 6.The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home. 36869. 5. 10 September 1902.
- 7.SDGW look-up please. 12 November 2006.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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