Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1886 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref:
8a/183, the son of James Naismith & Mary Dawson (nee Riley).

1891 Census - Park House, Ashton Lane, Ashton upon Mersey.   Son - aged: 4
- born: Sale.  Head of household - James N. Dawson - Married - aged: 47 -
occ: Calico Printer - born: Scotland.   Also - Mary Dawson - Wife - aged:
41 - born: Accrington, Lancashire.   Plus 7 siblings and 2 domestic
servants.

1901 Census - No Trace of the family.

His father - James Naismith Dawson died in 1904 in the Prestwich area,
aged: 62.

1911 Census - "Glenville", Moss Lane, Orrell, Lancashire.   Son - aged: 24
- occ: Insurance Clerk - born: Ashton-upon-Mersey.  Head of household -
Mary Dawson - Widow - aged: 61 - born: Accrington, Lancashire.   Plus 4
siblings and 1 domestic servant.

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1918 - born 26th May 1885 (???) -
privately educated at Manchester.  Employed by the Yorkshire & State
Insurance Companies, being appointed as District manager of the North
British Mercantile Insurance Company, Preston in July 1914.  He took an
interest inwork amongst lads, especially in the Cadet Movement and held a
commission as Captain in the Church Lads Brigade.  He enlisted in the 20th
Battalion, King's Liverpool Rgt in November 1914.  Gazzetted 2nd Lieutenant
in January 1915 and was posted to France in November 1915.  He volunteered
for machine gun work and trained at the Machine Gun School.   He took part
in the advance on the Somme and was transferrd to the 22nd Company, Machine
Gun Corps and was kiled at Delvile Wood, Somme, when the Infantry being
surprised by a large force concealed in a sunken road, they could neither
advance nor retreat.   The machine guns were ordered to come forward to
cover the retirement and he was killed whilst directing the positions of
his guns.

His Captain wrote:- "Dawson was a brave man and as much a gentleman as he
was a sound officer.  My personal sense of loss enables me to understand
the extent of your bereavement.  He was alsways keen and his high sense of
duty enabled him to carry out the most difficult of tasks unquestionably
and with his coolness and cheerfulness, which always had a great effect on
his men"   There is a similar statement from the Commanding Officer of his
previous Company, together with a portrait photograph of him.

CWGC - Son of James Naismith Dawson and Mary Dawson, of Ashton-on-Mersey,
Sale, Manchester.

Commemorated on the family gravestone in Sale Cemetery - I.2693.