Difference between revisions of "Lionel George Dawson"

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In December, 1916, Dawson was appointed in command of the {{UK-Salmon|f=c}} upon her commissioning.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>   
 
In December, 1916, Dawson was appointed in command of the {{UK-Salmon|f=c}} upon her commissioning.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>   
  
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On 9 April, 1918, he was superseded in command of ''Salmon''.  In early May he commenced an appointment for duty with the Trade Division, a shore-based role apparently necessitated by further medical issues.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>
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On 9 April, 1918, he was superseded in command of ''Salmon''.  In early May he commenced an appointment for duty with the Trade Division, a shore-based role apparently necessitated by further medical issues. Although his Service Record is atypically coy on the nature of the malady,<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> Dawson's own book records his ailment as being digestive issues and "nervous dyspepsia", which is "an extremely common complaint, and is, I suppose, a first cousin to neurasthenia."{{DawsonFlotillas|p. 203}}
  
 
==Interbellum==
 
==Interbellum==

Revision as of 16:05, 21 April 2016

Captain Lionel George Dawson (11 September, 1885 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Lionel Dawson was the son of a Colonel C. Dawson.

Upon passing out of Britannia with a boost of three months time on 15 January, 1902, Dawson was appointed for a year to the battleship Majestic, flagship of the Channel Fleet. He served as Aide de Camp to Admiral Wilson and received his first seagoing experience in a crew that was heavily populated with men who would enjoy heralded naval careers.[1]

On 18 January, 1903, Dawson was appointed from Majestic to the armoured cruiser Drake.

Dawson was appointed to the armoured cruiser Black Prince on 9 June, 1906.[2]

Dawson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1907.[3]

Dawson was appointed to his first command, the old torpedo boat T.B. 45, in January 1908.[4]

On 2 April, 1909, he married Marjorie Meryl Acherly at All Saints Church on Margaret Street in London.[5]

Dawson was appointed to the battleship Hannibal of the Home Fleet's Plymouth Division on 1 March, 1910. Dawson professed great antipathy for everything Plymouth and engaged in some "string pulling" to obtain a transfer to the Portsmouth Division's Jupiter on 13 April.

Rear Admiral Brock of the Portsmouth Division had imposed a "no dogs" policy in the formation, much to Dawson's dismay. The Lieutenant contrived to weaken this decree by bringing his old cocker spaniel "Buzz" on a social outing that Brock was attending. Buzz's enthusiastic rapport with the flag officer proved enough to connect to Brock's dog lover within, and word soon bubbled down that "Dawson can have his d—d dog on board, on the understanding that it is always available to take the Admiral for a walk when required."

Buzz proved himself valuable in naval service, for his super-human hearing could pick up foghorns well before anyone else on watch could and he enjoyed being on the bridge, often sleeping at the foot of the helmsman. Buzz would sail for some years further in a variety of postings, but the sailor-spaniel would ultimately be buried in Portsmouth Harbour, wrapped in a boat's ensign, after succumbing to complications from a leg broken in a fall from an accommodation ladder aboard Dreadnought.[6]

Destroyers

Although he had been noted for submarine service in January of 1910, it was to be destroyer work that would highlight Dawson's naval career. Fresh from Jupiter, he was appointed in command of the "R" Class destroyer Salmon on 21 December, 1910. The posting would last about five months.[7]

Dawson was found at fault for a collision between his command, Bruizer and the "C" and "D" Class destroyer Crusader. It was determined that he should have warned the other ship that he was coming alongside.[8]

On 7 November, 1911, Dawson was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 14.[9] In March, 1912, he damaged her rudder and on 19 May of the following year was admonished by the Admiral of Patrols for striking a buoy with his torpedo boat.[10]

Upon being superseded in her by Frank Lumb in mid 1913, his chain of destroyer commands was broken by an appointment to the battleship Dreadnought. In early 1914, he underwent a series of medical treatments that left him unfit until 11 March, when he presumably returned to Dreadnought. He would be in her when the war started.

Great War

Dawson was appointed in command of the destroyer Lurcher in September, 1915.[11]

Dawson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1915.[12]

In December, 1916, Dawson was appointed in command of the "S" Class submarine Salmon upon her commissioning.[13]

On 9 April, 1918, he was superseded in command of Salmon. In early May he commenced an appointment for duty with the Trade Division, a shore-based role apparently necessitated by further medical issues. Although his Service Record is atypically coy on the nature of the malady,[14] Dawson's own book records his ailment as being digestive issues and "nervous dyspepsia", which is "an extremely common complaint, and is, I suppose, a first cousin to neurasthenia."[15]

Interbellum

On 22 January, 1919, Dawson was appointed in command of the destroyer Tobago. He was re-appointed in her upon his promotion to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1920. He was superseded soon thereafter and undertook some work in Intelligence at Royal Naval College, Greenwich. Two days before Christmas, Dawson was directed to report to the battleship Benbow to provide intelligence duties for R/A Fourth Battle Squadron. He followed a transfer of flag to Benbow in March of 1921.[16]

A three month stint in command of the Valhalla in 1923 was followed by some training, first in anti-submarine warfare and ASDIC, then a Signals Course at Portsmouth in 1924 and further A/S study.[17]

In 1928, Dawson received a Senior Officer's Training Course and then was appointed for a year's work inside the Admiralty with the Naval Intelligence Division, vice Knox-Little. When this finished in January, 1929, Dawson was appointed to a two year period of command of the convoy sloop Heather.[18]

Dawson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 21 September, 1931.[19]

He remarried on 10 February, 1939, to Georgina Alwilda, formerly Palmer, née Lobnitz.[20]

World War II

Dawson was called up in August 1939 to become Captain in Charge of Small Craft, Dover. On 17 September, he was appointed in command of Dover's new shore establishment, H.M.S. Lynx, and reappointed in charge of small craft. As 1940 rolled around, his role became that of Maintenance Captain to Flag Officer in Command, Dover. Landing craft soon fell under his purview at the end of 1940, when he was appointed to Victory, additional.

In 1942, he was appointed as Chief Staff Officer to "Commandant, C.T.C.", and as Chief Naval Instructor C.T.C., Inverary. He continued in this capacity with an acting rank of Captain until he reverted to the Retired List on 15 June, 1945.[21]

See Also

Bibliography

  • Dawson, Captain Lionel. (1935). Flotillas: A Hard-Lying Story. London: Rich & Cowan Ltd.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Kenneth B. M. Churchill
as Captain of H.M. T.B. 45 		Captain of H.M. T.B. 045
16 Jan, 1908[22][23] – Dec, 1909[24] 		Succeeded by
Douglas A. Oliver
Preceded by
Lionel G. Preston 		Captain of H.M. T.B. 81
Dec, 1909[25] – 14 Jan, 1910[26] 		Succeeded by
Leveson G. B. A. Campbell
Preceded by
Norman H. Carter 		Captain of H.M.S. Salmon
21 Dec, 1910[27][28] – 24 May, 1911[29] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Kennedy G. Darracott-Brooke 		Captain of H.M.S. Bruizer
24 May, 1911[30] – 31 Oct, 1911[31] 		Succeeded by
Percy G. Brown
Preceded by
Montague G. Philpott 		Captain of H.M.S. Wizard
31 Oct, 1911[32] – 7 Nov, 1911[33] 		Succeeded by
Frederic E. C. Hurst
Preceded by
Andrew B. Cunningham 		Captain of H.M. T.B. 14
7 Nov, 1911[34] – 1 Jul, 1913[35] 		Succeeded by
Frank Lumb
Preceded by
William H. S. S. Thomson 		Captain of H.M.S. Derwent
30 Aug, 1915[36] – 3 Sep, 1915[37] 		Succeeded by
Edward C. Thornton
Preceded by
Wilfred Tomkinson 		Captain of H.M.S. Lurcher
25 Sep, 1915[38][39] – 28 Nov, 1916[40] 		Succeeded by
Eric Q. Carter
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Salmon
2 Dec, 1916[41] – 9 Apr, 1918[42] 		Succeeded by
George C. H. Lawson
Preceded by
Frederick E. Raw 		Captain of H.M.S. Tobago
22 Jan, 1919[43] – c. Sep, 1920[44] 		Succeeded by
Humphrey E. Archer
Preceded by
Henry I. M. L. Scott 		Captain of H.M.S. Valhalla
26 Jun, 1923[45] – Sep, 1923[46] 		Succeeded by
Lionel G. Dawson
Preceded by
Lionel G. Dawson 		Captain of H.M.S. Valhalla
11 Apr, 1924[47][48] – 14 Jul, 1925[49] 		Succeeded by
John G. Crace
Preceded by
Reginald V. Holt 		Captain of H.M.S. Vampire
c. Jul, 1925[50] – Jan, 1927[51] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
John L. Field 		Captain of H.M.S. Vesper
24 Jan, 1927[52] – Oct, 1927[53] 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Stephen D. Tillard 		Captain of H.M.S. Heather
18 Jan, 1929[54] – 12 Jan, 1931[55] 		Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dawson. Flotillas. pp. 21-2.
  2. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1907). p. 284.
  3. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 21.
  4. ↑ Dawson. Flotillas. p. 63.
  5. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  6. ↑ Dawson. Flotillas. pp. 80-2. The book contains a fair number of "Buzz" anecdotes.
  7. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  8. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  9. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 399.
  10. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  11. ↑ Smith. Hard Lying. p. 126.
  12. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  13. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  14. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  15. ↑ Dawson. Flotillas. p. 203.
  16. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  17. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  18. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  19. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  20. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208. The names are subject to interpretation in the source.
  21. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 244.
  22. ↑ Dawson. Flotillas. p. 63.
  23. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/77
  24. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/77
  25. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/77
  26. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/77
  27. ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (March, 1911). p. 371.
  28. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  29. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  30. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  31. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  32. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  33. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  34. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 399.
  35. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  36. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  37. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  38. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 395y.
  39. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  40. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  41. ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 397t.
  42. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  43. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  44. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  45. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  46. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  47. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 277.
  48. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  49. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  50. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  51. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  52. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  53. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  54. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.
  55. ↑ Dawson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 208.

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