Arthur Bertram Finch Dawson

Captain (retired) Arthur Bertram Finch Dawson (11 May, 1870 – 13 September, 1956) was an inventive officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Dawson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 11 May, 1891.

In 1897 while providing torpedo duties at Malta, Dawson was granted leave to go to England and regain strength following a case of Malta Fever. In less contagious climes, he managed to at least begin an appointment as torpedo officer in Resolution from mid-January 1898 until being invalided on 6 August. He regained general fitness on 12 December, 1898.

On 5 September, 1901, Dawson was thanked for his conception of a defensive anti-submarine mine.

The death of two able bodied sailors in Goliath to poisoning by carbonic acid gas fumes was attributed to Lieutenant (T) Dawson's failure to alert the captain that the air in the magazine was foul as soon as he became aware of the issue.

Dawson was thanked for inventing an anti-submarine net defence system in 1902. In February, 1903 Dawson attempted to patent a wire hawser cutter he'd invented, but the Admiralty opined that since the device had already been adopted by the service that no one could obtain such a patent. Dawson was assured, however, that the Admiralty would not lost sight of his role in inventing the mechanism. In any event, Dawson was eventually awarded a patent for this in February, 1913. Later in 1903, he invented a system of range-finding at long ranges, but the discussion of this wrinkle are illegible in his service record.

Dawson was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1904.

In September, 1912, Dawson was appointed to Queenstown Coast Guard station. On 19 November, 1912, he was admitted to Chatham Hospital with a fractured right fibula. He was found fit on 17 December, 1912 and returned to service, this time at Sheerness Coast Guard district. He would remain here, sometimes providing "special duty".

In September, 1914, Dawson incurred Their Lordships' severe displeasure for laxity in supervision of signalling arrangements at Sheerness. He was to be relieved of his post, but it is not clear which post this was, as he remained at Sheerness and The Nore until May, 1915.

Dawson was appointed in command of the armed boarding steamer Scotia on 20 May, 1915. He was ordered home on 3 November 1915 and on the 19th was appointed to the Anti-Aircraft Corps. After a half-year there, Dawson was appointed in command of the first class protected cruiser Gibraltar in June, 1916.

There was a Court of Enquiry on 5 November, 1917 regarding some illegible mishap with Mantua. Dawson was told to be more cautious in future.

Dawson continued in command of Mantua through the end of the war and earned a mention in despatches for his services in Ninth Cruiser Squadron in command of Mantua in the first half of 1918, gazetted 30 September, 1918.

Post-War

Dawson gave up command of Mantua on 24 January, 1919. He was appointed in command of Euryalus on 17 April, but this was cancelled on 1 May, 1919. Dawson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 16 May, 1919 and proceeded to travel to Jamaica on half pay.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Berkeley Holme-Sumner	Captain of H.M. T.B. 53 18 Jul, 1894 – 15 Aug, 1894	Succeeded by Arthur T. Darley
Preceded by Charles L. Ottley	Captain of H.M. T.B. 43 15 Apr, 1895	Succeeded by Francis E. Walters
Preceded by Charles H. Umfreville	Captain of H.M.S. Hebe 24 Sep, 1895 – 1 Nov, 1895	Succeeded by Arthur T. Taylor
Preceded by Clive N. Rolfe	Captain of H.M. T.B. 68 3 Jan, 1905 – 10 Feb, 1906	Succeeded by Edmund D. Faber
Preceded by Brien M. Money	Captain of H.M. T.B. 114 10 Feb, 1906 – 24 Mar, 1908	Succeeded by Francis G. St. G. Brooker
Preceded by Valentine E. B. Phillimore	Captain of H.M.S. Wolf 9 Apr, 1908 – 17 Dec, 1908	Succeeded by Bernard J. H. Ward
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Ghurka 17 Dec, 1908 – 31 Aug, 1909	Succeeded by Christopher P. Metcalfe
Preceded by Mortimer L'E. Silver	Captain of H.M.S. Actæon 31 Aug, 1909 – 31 Aug, 1911	Succeeded by Godfrey M. Paine
Preceded by Frank E. C. Ryan	Captain of H.M.S. Mars 9 Jan, 1912 – 5 Jul, 1912	Succeeded by Cunningham R. de C. Foot
Preceded by Edward H. Moubray	Captain of H.M.S. Gibraltar 29 Jun, 1916 – 1 Mar, 1917	Succeeded by Arthur H. Oldham
Preceded by Thomas W. Bennett	Captain of H.M.S. Mantua 1 Mar, 1917 – 24 Jan, 1919	Succeeded by ?