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Auction: 25003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 206

A Great War M.C. group of three awarded to Captain F. A. Dawson, East Surrey Regiment who was killed in action on 7 August 1918 during the Battle of Amiens

Military Cross, G.V.R.; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. F. A. Dawson.); Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Frederick Albert Dawson), court mounted for display, good very fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 25 April 1918.

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Shortly after the attack was launched the leading platoons of his company were held up by intense machine-gun fire. He pushed on and, in conjunction with his company commander, made great efforts to carry forward the attack. After his company commander became a casualty, he took command of the company and some men of another division, and again attempted to renew the attack.'

Frederick Albert Dawson was born on 3 January 1898 and had previously been a Civil Service Student before he attested into the 3/28th Battalion London Regiment on 17 April 1915. He entered the War in France on 21 April 1916 and was made a temporary Second Lieutenant in the field on 1 July 1917 into the 8th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. He had his first leave to the U.K. between 16-26 August 1917 and again between 6-20 November 1917. Dawson had further leave to the U.K. between 2-16 March 1918. He was promoted to Acting Captain whilst commanding his Company on 19 April 1918 which he relinquished on 23 April when he ceased to be commanding the Company. He was originally reported as missing but was later reported as being killed in action on 7 August 1918 and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

Movements of the Details at Rouez Camp:

21st. March: At about 4pm. The 7th. Buffs and 8/East Surrey Details at Rouez moved up under the command of Lieut. M. R. CARTER, 8/East Surrey, to the BUTTE DE VOUEL, and took over some very scattered posts in support to the 58th. Division. The East Surrey Party numbered about 25-30, and included the Instructional Staff, Reserve Signallers, Reserve Orderlies, NCO's. School, etc., including the Col. Sgt. Instructor of Musketry and the P.T. and B.F. Instructor. The whole of this Party were specialists or NCO.'s and men definitely chosen to be left out of action with a view to the reorganisation of the Battalion in the future.
The Buffs and Surrey Details were formed into two Cos., the East Surrey Co. being under the command of 2/Lieut. F. A. DAWSON, M.C., with 2/Lieut. H. T. SMITH as his Subaltern. The posts taken over ran roughly N. and S., the East Surrey Co. being on the North of the Butte de VOUEL.
The night passed quietly and without any particular incident. The forenoon of the 22nd. Was also quiet, but at 4pm., parties of the 58th. Division from the front line began to come back, and said that the enemy were attacking in force. As many as possible of these men were stopped by Lt. Carter, and incorporated under his command.
The extreme left post of the line was under the command of 2/Lieut. Smith, and at about 7pm., heavy rifle firing was heard from that direction although no signs could be seen of any attack. 2/Lieut. Dawson, MC., set out with the intention of visiting the Post, but when within about 200 yards of it, came under machine gun fire from the post and could get no nearer to it. He informed a party of the 17th. Lancers who came up, and they sent out a patrol who came back and reported that the post was strongly held by the enemy with machine guns. No further evidence has been obtainable as to the fate of 2/Lt H. T. SMITH, and it can only be conjectured that his post was rushed, and that he himself was either killed or taken prisoner.
The night of the 22/23rd. passed quietly, but about 7am. On the 23rd., Lieut. Carter spotted a small party of the enemy in front of his line, and himself took out a party of 15 O.Rks. and brought back 2 machine guns and 18 unwounded prisoners, including one Officer. He then went out again, but came unexpectedly under short range enemy machine gun fire, and became a casualty with the majority of his party. Attempts were made to bring him in, but these failed, and he must eventually have been captured, although it is feared that he had been very badly wounded and may have died of wounds.
About 8 am. A French Battalion came up under cover of the mist, and relieved both the Buffs and the East Surrey Companies. On relief, 2/Lt. Dawson, M.C., reported to a Captain of the Fusiliers, 58th. Division at the Butte de VOUEL, who told him to place his command in support to the French in a quarry about 400 yards NW. of the Butte. Here the party remained until mid-day. During the morning the enemy attack had been advancing steadily along the high ground about a mile to their left flank, and at mid-day, the enemy also attacked their position frontally. The French retired to the line FRIERES-FAILLOUEL- VIRY-NOUREUIL Rd., and 2/Lieut. Dawson, MC., took his party back with them. He then went forward again with about 12 men in an endeavour to find out the situation on his left flank. His party came under heavy machine gun fire, and attempted to reply to it, but all because casualties with the exception of 2/Lt. Dawson himself, who returned to ROUEZ, to find the remainder of his command. He could find none of his men there but reported to the OC. 7th. Buffs, who told him that the Brigade was under orders to rendezvous at BETHANCOURT. He therefore proceeded to BETHANCOURT, arriving at about 7pm., and awaited the arrival of the Battalion. From statements of men of his command, it appears that whilst he was out on his reconnaissance, they were taken under the command of a Captain of the 58th. Division, and were withdrawn slowly in a SW. direction through CHAUNY and ABBECOURT to BESME, where they remained for three or four days with the 58th. Division until they were eventually sent up by motor lorry to rejoin the Battalion at GENTELLES.

"A Local German Attack"
At 4.15 a.m. on the 6th August the enemy barrage came down upon the whole front of the 55th Brigade and upon that of the brigade on the right. Ten minutes later his infantry attacked. Advancing in great numbers along the main road, the enemy overran the left posts of B Company and drove a wedge into the line between the company and the "Buffs". At the same time he broke through on the right and C Company's right flank was soon completely turned. Gallantly commanded by Captain G. E. Swinton, C Company fell back, contesting the ground inch by inch. Some sections of B Company conformed with this movement. Other sections, however, remained in their posts, and when at length the advancing enemy turned aside from the road to occupy his old front line (the Cloncurry-Cummins line) and joined up with those troops who had broken through on the right, these sections, still fighting in their trenches, were completely cut off.
The occupation of his original line seemed to be the sole purpose of the enemy, for although patrols pushed still further forward, they eventually withdrew to the Cloncurry line. One of these patrols, coming suddenly upon a runner relay post, captured its occupants. The latter, however, with one exception, acting upon a ruse devised by Cpl. A. Walker, feigned wounds and death, and when a large shell burst near and their captors left them, they again occupied the post.
Meanwhile the remnants of B and C Companies had established themselves in the Cobar line, where they were soon reinforced by D Company. B Company had sustained very heavy losses, all of their officers having become casualties in the early stages of the attack, including Captain F. A. Dawson, M.C., who was killed. He was a most gallant and capable officer, whose services to the Battalion, both at Poelcapelle and during the March retreat, have already been mentioned. In C Company, 2nd lieut. A. E. Spooner alone was unwounded; but his company still remained a tactical unit.

Sold with very detailed folder of research including copied service papers etc.


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Estimate
£1,000 to £1,400

Starting price
£800