Five: Major F. G. Dawson, Monmouthshire Regiment, late South Wales Borderers, who was taken P.O.W. at Ypres in May 1915

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (Lieut., S. Wales Bdrs.); 1914-15 Star (Capt., Monmouth. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Major); Territorial Decoration, G.V.R., silver, silver-gilt, complete with upper brooch-bar, unnamed, mounted as worn, the first four officially impressed duplicate issues, circa 1925, generally good very fine (5) £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Monmouthshire Regiment formed by Lt. Col. P. A. Blagojevic, O. St. J., T.D..

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Frederick George Dawson was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers in July 1895, was advanced to Lieutenant in November 1896 and witnessed active service out in South Africa in the same unit from July 1900 until April 1901, where he qualified for the above described Medal and 4 clasps (accompanying medal roll verification refers). In April 1908 Dawson transferred to the Monmouthshire Regiment and, having attained the rank of Captain, relinquished his commission and was placed on the Reserve of Officers in July 1911. With the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, however, he was swiftly recalled, and in February 1915 he joined the 1st Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment in Flanders, in which unit he was serving at the time of his capture on 8 May of the same year:

‘Early on the morning of 8 May 1915, the company of which I was second-in-command, took over a section of trench on the Friezenburg Ridge, from the Cheshire Regiment. At daybreak the enemy opened a heavy fire with guns of all calibres and this continued for several hours. They broke into a trench on our right, occupied by the 85th Brigade, from where they gradually worked their way towards the left and eventually reached our right flank and also got in the rear of us. A short distance in front was a building in which the Germans had machine-guns - also “Whizz-bangs” were brought to point-blank range, demolishing our parapet. Throughout the day we had practically no artillery support. We ran short of ammunition, we had no grenades or bombs, our machine-gun was knocked out early in the day, and of the reserves sent to us very few reached us - owing to the intensity of fire (which a German General who questioned me after capture stated was the heaviest up to that time). All other officers of my company were killed. The circumstances of my capture were, about mid-day, I noticed small white flags go up on the right of our trench so I went down to investigate, and walked into a traverse occupied by a number of Germans, who took me prisoner. I then discovered that the white flags had been put up by the Germans, I think, as a signal to show their artillery their position.’

Dawson, who was repatriated from Holland in October 1918, resigned his commission as a result of ill-health in June 1919, but was permitted to retain the rank of Major and, as an “Exonerated” prisoner, was also entitled to the Silver War Badge. His MIC entry further confirms that he was issued with a duplicate set of awards in October 1925.