Service Number 183704
Service Army
Battalion 109 Heavy Battery
Regiment Royal Garrison Artillery
Buried London
Biography
Donald Stead Dawson was born in Cleckheaton on the 15th April 1892, the son of George Henry Dawson and his wife Annie Eleanor Dawson.
In 1901, the family were living at Potter Newton, Leeds but by 1911, George and his family were living at Fair View, Collingham. George was a carpet salesman, his eldest son, George Elliot Dawson was a farmer, Donald was a salesman in a millinery warehouse and Donald's sister and brother, Doris and Joseph, were at school. Also living at Fairview was Lena Fletcher a 16-year old servant.
We do not know when Donald's service started, and no definitive service record has survived, but we believe Donald served as Gunner 183704 in 109 Heavy Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery.
The war years were eventful for Donald - he married Ida Constance Smith in 1916, and his brother George Elliot Dawson was killed in 1917.
As his service record has not survived we cannot be sure that Donald spent the whole of his service with 109 (Heavy) Battery RGA, or if was transferred to another unit or was away for periods of leave or injury. If he remained with 109 (H) Battery then our search for his service will lie with the units with which 109 (H) Battery served. These were:
Date | Unit/notes |
23 Sept 1914 | Went to France |
17 Oct 1914 - 21 Dec 1914 | Joined Lahore Division |
22 Dec 1914 - 24 Dec 1914 | 1st Division |
24 Dec 1914 - 25 Jan 1915 | To rest |
27 Jan 1915 - 21 Feb 1915 | Attached to 8th Division |
22 Feb 1915 - 26 Feb 1915 | Lahore Division |
27 Feb 1915 - 5 Mar 1915 | Meerut Division |
6 Mar 1915 | Joined 1st Heavy Artillery Brigade |
31 Mar 1915 | To 4th Heavy Artillery Brigade |
19 Apr 1915 | To 10th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
11 Jun 1915 | To 4th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
5 Apr 1916 | To Left Group XI Corps Heavy Artillery |
20 Apr 1916 | To Anzac Heavy Artillery in 'Lorings Group' |
27 Jun 1916 | To 13th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
3 Oct 1916 | To 60th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
21 Mar 1917 | To 69th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
24 Mar 1917 | To 60th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
11 Jun 1917 | To 19th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
5 Jul 1917 | To 22nd Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
26 Aug 1917 | To 45th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
15 Nov 1917 | To rest |
4 Dec 1917 | Joined 5th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
27 Dec 1917 | To 6th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) |
To end of war | No subsequent changes |
After the war, Donald returned to the area and he and Ida had two children, Arthur Elliott Dawson (1919-1996) in Wetherby, and Mary Gwendoline Dawson (1922-1991) in Leeds.
Donald Stead Dawson, then of 20 Brownberrie Walk, Horsforth, died on the 25th March 1958.
Biography last updated 13 November 2019 21:35:06.
Sources
1911 Census. The National Archives. Class RG14 Piece 25962
First World War Medal Index Cards. The National Archives (WO372).
First World War Medal Index Rolls. The National Archives (WO329).
If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info