 In the First World War he fought as a Kaiserschütze on the Austro-Hungarian side together with Luis Trenker and was awarded the "Iron Merit Cross with Crown" (Eiserne Verdienstkreuz mit der Krone).In the 1920s he climbed in the English Lake District, making first ascents of gills in the Honister Pass area.In 1947 the Appalachian Mountain Club reported that Dibona was still doing "spectacular" rock climbs at the age of 65.