View source for Lionel George Dawson

{{CaptRN}} '''Lionel George Dawson''' (11 September, 1885 &ndash; ) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].

He was a dog lover as well as an avid and active participant in the Fleet's dramatic productions afloat and ashore.   His cousin, [[Cuthbert Patrick Blake]], also served in destroyers in the [[Great War]]; they were both considered for command of the new {{UK-Termagant|f=t}} in 1916.{{DawsonFlotillas|p. 157}}

Like [[Henry Taprell Dorling|Henry "Taffrail" Dorling]], Dawson was a fair writer, if a bit enamoured of salty jargon.  His ''Flotillas: A Hard-Lying Story'' is essential work that illuminates the nuances of destroyer work before and during the war.  Its lack of fictionalization or blurring of identities of his fellow officer of seaman is especially refreshing..

==Life & Career==
Lionel Dawson was born the son of a Colonel C. Dawson.

Upon passing out of {{UK-1Britannia}} with a boost of three months time on 15 January, 1902, Dawson was appointed for a year to the {{UK-Majestic|f=t}}, flagship of the [[Channel Fleet]].  He served as Aide de Camp to Admiral [[Arthur Knyvet Wilson, Third Baronet|Wilson]] and received his first seagoing experience in a crew that was heavily populated with men who would enjoy heralded naval careers.{{DawsonFlotillas|pp. 21-2}}

On 18 January, 1903, Dawson was appointed from ''Majestic'' to the {{UK-Drake|f=t}}.

Dawson was appointed to the {{UK-BlackPrince|f=t}} on 9 June, 1906.{{NLJan07|p. 284}}

Dawson was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 31 December, 1907.{{NLMar13|p. 21}}

Dawson was appointed to his first command, the old torpedo boat {{UK-1TB45}}, in January 1908.{{DawsonFlotillas|p. 63}}

On 2 April, 1909, he married Marjorie Meryl Acherly at All Saints Church on Margaret Street in London.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

Dawson was appointed to the {{UK-Hannibal|f=t}} 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 {{UK-Jupiter}} on 13 April.  

Rear Admiral [[Frederic Edward Errington Brock|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&mdash;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''.{{DawsonFlotillas|pp. 80-2.  The book contains a fair number of "Buzz" anecdotes}}

==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 {{UK-1Salmon|f=c}} on 21 December, 1910.  The posting would last about five months.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

Upon returning to a harbour berth after a firing exercise, Dawson was found at fault for a collision between his command, {{UK-Bruizer}} and the {{UK-Crusader|f=c}}.  It was determined that he should have warned the other ship that he was coming alongside.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

A single week in the {{UK-Wizard|f=t}}, whose inward-turning screws rendered her most difficult to control in confined spaces, was time enough to permit Dawson two docking accidents.  After his most recent mishap in hitting {{UK-FlyingFish}} on 7 November, 1911, Dawson was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the {{UK-TB14|f=t}}.{{NLMar13|p. 399}}  In March, 1912, he damaged her rudder in a dock and on 19 May of the following year was admonished by the Admiral of Patrols for striking a buoy with his torpedo boat.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

Upon being superseded in her by [[Frank Lumb]] in mid 1913, his chain of destroyer commands was broken by an appointment to the {{UK-Dreadnought|f=t}}. He would write of the discomforts of this ship with its officers berthed aft, and of the comforts of his superiors and fellow officers in the months leading up to the war.  He clearly preferred command of smaller vessels to watch-keeping in the mother of capital ships.

In early 1914, Dawon underwent a series of medical treatments that left him unfit until 11 March, when he returned to ''Dreadnought'', where he'd find himself when war started.

==Great War==
While waiting an appointment in London, Dawson was sent to take charge of the {{UK-Derwent|f=t}} in Portsmouth, as her captain had taken ill.  Dawson rushed right down and promptly snared a buoy with her propellor while taking dinner.  Freeing himself without apparent injury to the shaft or propellor, ''Derwent'' escorted a small ship to France and had to shut down the suspect shaft in hard weather on the return trip.  Dawson left the ship after just about two days, looking over his shoulder as she entered dock.  The accident did not appear to hazard his career.{{DawsonFlotillas|pp. 138-143}}

A proper appointment found him soon enough as Dawson was appointed in command of the {{UK-Lurcher|f=t}} in late September, 1915.{{HardLying|p. 126}}

Dawson was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 31 December, 1915.<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.  He supposed that he was the only man ever to command two ships of the same name.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>  

''Salmon'' collided with her squadron-mate {{UK-Sable}} some time in 1917, ramming her in the Captain's cabin when the destroyers were proceeding in fog at 20 knots, despite each ship throwing its helm over and backing one engine hard to assist.  ''Sable's'' commander, [[Hugh Joseph Woodward|Woodward]], shouted for Dawson to "keep your stem in the hole," but the ships separated.  Dawson thought it fortunate that his ship struck just aft of ''Sable's'' main engine room, whose large volume may have meant her loss.  The two returned to Rosyth, ''Sable'' with her quarter deck nearly awash, to be docked in the same dock.  Their undocking was delayed by a day or two by damage ''Salmon'' sustained when a horse and cart fell into the dock, apparently through an error by the carter.  The horse was killed by the accident.{{DawsonFlotillas|pp. 199-201}}

After a lazy summer of 1917, much of it berthed in the Firth of Forth and the ship's men accommodated by {{UK-Malaya}} for amenities only a large ship can offer, Dawson recalls that the closest he got to the enemy in ''Salmon'' was when they fired a few long range shots at a U-Boat they found charging its batteries.  It dived and evaded them with seeming ease.  ''Salmon'' went south for a refit in February of 1918.{{DawsonFlotillas|pp. 199-201}}

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==

On 22 January, 1919, Dawson was appointed in command of the {{UK-Tobago|f=t}}.  He was re-appointed in her upon his promotion to the rank of {{CommRN}} 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 {{UK-Benbow|f=t}} to provide intelligence duties for R/A {{UK-BS|4}}.  He followed a transfer of flag to {{UK-Benbow}} in March of 1921.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

A three month stint in command of the {{UK-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.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

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 (Royal Navy)|Naval Intelligence Division]], vice [[Charles Hugo Knox-Little|Knox-Little]].  When this finished in January, 1929, Dawson was appointed to a two year period of command of the {{UK-Heather|f=t}}.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

Dawson was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 21 September, 1931.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>

He remarried on 10 February, 1939, to Georgina Alwilda, formerly Palmer, née Lobnitz.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.  The names are subject to interpretation in the source.</ref>

==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.

He was mentioned in despatches on 16 August, 1940.<ref>[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34925/page/5068/data.pdf Supplement to the ''The London Gazette'', no. 34925.  16 August, 1940, p. 5068.]</ref>

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.<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 244.</ref>

After the war, he would help [[Walter Henry Cowan, First Baronet|Walter Henry Cowan]] pen his memoirs.

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Lionel+George+Dawson Service Records]
{{WP|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_George_Dawson}}
{{refend}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{DawsonFlotillas}}
* Dawson, Lionel George (1949).  ''Sound of the Guns: Being an Account of the Wars and Service of Admiral Sir Walter Cowan''.  Oxford: Pen-in-Hand.
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Kenneth Berkeley Mackenzie Churchill|Kenneth B. M. Churchill]]'''<br><small>as '''Captain of H.M. T.B. 45'''</small>|'''[[H.M. T.B. 45 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 045]]'''<br>16 Jan, 1908{{DawsonFlotillas|p. 63}}<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50/77|D7576679}}</ref> &ndash; Dec, 1909<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50/77|D7576679}}</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Douglas Austin Oliver|Douglas A. Oliver]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Lionel George Preston|Lionel G. Preston]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 81 (1885)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 81]]'''<br>Dec, 1909<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50/77|D7576679}}</ref> &ndash; 14 Jan, 1910<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50/77|D7576679}}</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Leveson Granville Byron Alexander Campbell|Leveson G. B. A. Campbell]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Norman Angel Kyrle Money|Norman A. K. Money]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Salmon (1895)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Salmon'']]'''<br>21 Dec, 1910{{NLMar11|p. 371}}<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; 24 May, 1911<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Kennedy Gerard Darracott-Brooke|Kennedy G. Darracott-Brooke]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Bruizer (1895)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Bruizer'']]'''<br>24 May, 1911<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; 31 Oct, 1911<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Percy George Brown|Percy G. Brown]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles William Ernest Whish|Charles W. E. Whish]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Wizard (1895)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Wizard'']]'''<br>31 Oct, 1911<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; 7 Nov, 1911<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frederick Edwin Charles Hurst|Frederick E. C. Hurst]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Andrew Browne Cunningham, First Viscount Cunningham|Andrew B. Cunningham]]'''|'''[[H.M. T.B. 14 (1907)|Captain of H.M. T.B. 14]]'''<br>7 Nov, 1911{{NLMar13|p. 399}} &ndash; 1 Jul, 1913<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Frank Lumb|Frank Lumb]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Hamilton Heath Sinclair Thomson|William H. S. S. Thomson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Derwent (1903)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Derwent'']]'''<br>30 Aug, 1915<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; 3 Sep, 1915<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Charles Maurice Blackman|Charles M. Blackman]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Wilfred Tomkinson|Wilfred Tomkinson]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Lurcher (1912)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Lurcher'']]'''<br>25 Sep, 1915{{NLDec16|p. 395''y''}}<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; 28 Nov, 1916<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Eric Quintin Carter|Eric Q. Carter]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Salmon (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Salmon'']]'''<br>2 Dec, 1916{{NLNov17|p. 397''t''}} &ndash; 9 Apr, 1918<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[William Bowen Mackenzie|William B. Mackenzie]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Frederick Edward Raw|Frederick E. Raw]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Tobago (1918)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Tobago'']]'''<br>22 Jan, 1919<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; ''c''. Sep, 1920<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Humphrey Edward Archer|Humphrey E. Archer]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Henry Ioan Montagu Lawrence Scott|Henry I. M. L. Scott]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Valhalla (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Valhalla'']]'''<br>26 Jun, 1923<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; Sep, 1923<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Eric Quintin Carter|Eric Q. Carter]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Eric Quintin Carter|Eric Q. Carter]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Valhalla (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Valhalla'']]'''<br>11 Apr, 1924{{NLJul24|p. 277}}<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; 14 Jul, 1925<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[John Mansel Porter|John M. Porter]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Reginald Vesey Holt|Reginald V. Holt]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Vampire (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Vampire'']]'''<br>''c''. Aug, 1925<ref>Holt Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/179.|D7576665}} f. 240.</ref><ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; Jan, 1927<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Valentine Maurice Wyndham-Quin|Valentine M. Wyndham-Quin]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Vesper (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Vesper'']]'''<br>24 Jan, 1927<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; Oct, 1927<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Colin Sinclair Thomson|Colin S. Thomson]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Edward Chicheley Thornton|Edward C. Thornton]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Heather (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Heather'']]'''<br>18 Jan, 1929<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref> &ndash; 12 Jan, 1931<ref>Dawson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50.|D7576679}} f. 208.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''?'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawson, Lionel}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1885|}}
{{CatCaptain|UK}}