Francis James Harold Dawson
From official officers' photograph in album of George Napier Tomlin.
Commander Francis James Harold Dawson, R.N., Retired (12 November, 1888 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Insch, Aberdeenshire, Dawson gained three and a half months' time on passing out of Britannia. He was appointed to Magnificent in the Channel Fleet the same day – on 15 September, 1904.[1]
On 21 May, 1909, Dawson was hospitalised in Plymouth after a motor vehicle accident. On 18 August, 1909, he was again fit.[2]
Dawson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1910.[3]
Dawson was appointed in command of the submarine C 20 on 19 October, 1912.[4]
On 19 February, 1916, Dawson was admitted Queensferry Hospital with a concussion. He was fit again on 25 February. In December, 1916, he quit command of C 20 for an appointment in command of E 55.[5]
On 11 December, 1917 Dawson ceded command of E 55 for an appointment to Dolphin for submarines. In 1918, he twice alternated in command of J 7 with Fitzroy Hamilton Dalrymple Byron.
Dawson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1918.[6]
Post-War
In July 1920, Captain Talbot recorded that Dawson had proven satisfactory working in command of the sweeping sloop Iroquois and with submarines, but was inclined to be pig-headed.
On 8 January, 1921, Dawson was subjected to a Court Martial for having negligently or by default hazarded Marazion. The charge was proved and he was severely reprimanded.[7]
On 15 June, 1922, Dawson was due home in London aboard Pyrrhus, as his services in submarines were no longer required. Dawson was required to pay half the cost of a stop-watch which went missing from Moorhen in February, 1924.
Having been recently informed that he was expected to offer his resignation, Dawson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Commander on 28 November, 1928.[8]
Dawson took a Sea Transport Officers' Training Course in 1932.[9]
World War II
Dawson worked with the British Technical Mission in North America from the end of 1940. On 2 April, 1945, he was surveyed and found to be suffering from neurasthenia. Given some time to recover, he apparently never again passed muster and was marked as unfit for further naval service on 15 October, 1945.[10]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Henry A. Binmore |
Captain of H.M.S. A 12 4 Jun, 1912[11] – 19 Oct, 1912[12] |
Succeeded by William R. Schofield |
| Preceded by Andrew Wilmot-Smith |
Captain of H.M.S. C 20 19 Oct, 1912[13][14] – Dec, 1916[15] |
Succeeded by Ralph E. Snook |
| Preceded by John B. Glencross |
Captain of H.M.S. E 55 Dec, 1916[16] – 11 Dec, 1917[17] |
Succeeded by James L. Boyd |
| Preceded by Fitzroy H. D. Byron |
Captain of H.M.S. J 7 28 May, 1918[18] – 27 Jun, 1918[19] |
Succeeded by Fitzroy H. D. Byron |
| Preceded by Fitzroy H. D. Byron |
Captain of H.M.S. J 7 12 Aug, 1918[20] – 25 Feb, 1919[21] |
Succeeded by Oswald E. Hallifax |
| Preceded by Edmund Aikman |
Captain of H.M.S. Iroquois 25 Feb, 1919[22][23] – Sep, 1921[24] |
Succeeded by Charles W. Tinson |
| Preceded by ? |
Captain of H.M.S. Marazion 8 Jan, 1920[25] – 9 Mar, 1922[26] |
Succeeded by Victor E. Ward |
| Preceded by Victor P. Alleyne |
Captain of H.M.S. Moorhen 27 Jan, 1923[27][28] – Mar, 1925[29] |
Succeeded by Aubrey B. Fanshawe |
Footnotes
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 20.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 319.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 319.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1919). p. 822.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 808. His service record indicates September, 1921.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 256.
- ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/248. f. 262.
