Private: 75 Percival James DAWSON.

36th BATTALION AIF

Private: 75 Percival James DAWSON.

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Born:  14th January 1895. Great Yarmouth, England.

Died: 10th June 1917. Killed in Action. Belgium.

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Father: Abraham Dawson Linder. (1870-1961)

Mother: Louisa Dawson. nee: Snowley. (1874-1937)

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INFORMATION

Percival James Dawson enlisted with the AIF on the 30th December 1915 at the Liverpool Army Camp.

22nd November 1916.

1: Larkhill. Troops en trained at Amesbury Station in three trains. 1st Train 7:47 am Compliment-Officers 11 and 327 others, 19 horses, 8 hand carts, 3 4 wheeled wagons and 9 bicycles. Lieutenant Colonel: James William Albert SIMPSON. Officer Commanding. A Company Lieutenant: ARNOLD. B Company Lieutenant: 3 Harry WOODHAMS. C Company Lieutenant: James Michael JULEFF.

2nd Train 9:15 am-Compliment-Officers 11 and 327 others. 20 horses, 2 two wheeled, 5 four wheeled vehicles. Major: Archibald Clifford BLACKLOW. Officer Commanding. A Company Lieutenant: Richard Henry DOYLE.

3rd Train 11:am- Compliment-Officers 10, 326 other ranks, 20 horses, 2 two wheeled, 5 four wheeled vehicles. Major: Archibald Leeson PRINCE. Officer Commanding. B Company Lieutenant: 1376 William James GORDON.

22nd November 1916

Embarked "Caesarea" 24 Officers, 811 others. Embarked "African Prince" 8 Officers 168 others, 59 horses, 15 four wheeled vehicles, 12 two wheeled vehicles and 9 bicycles. Total 32 Officers, others 979 left Southampton 6:00 pm. 1 Officer 75 others detailed as sentries and boat guard. 1 Sergeant, 1 Corporal and 20 detailed as Firing Party. 5 Sanitary Police and 10 men as Sanitary Party.

23rd November 1916.

Arrived at La Havre 1:40 am. Disembarked 7:25 am. Marched via town to No:1 Rest Camp arrived 11:40 am. Remained at Rest Camp, Le Harve, till 6:30 am 24th November 1916.

24th November 1916.

36th Battalion, less 8 Officers 250 Other Ranks marched via town to point 3 Railway Station, Le Harve at 8:00 am. En trained and left Le Harve at 10:30 am. Proceeded via Montcrolier Buchy, Abbeville 6:10 am. 10 hours late via Boulogne Calais and Bailleul. Arrived at Bailleul at 4:25 pm 25th November 1916.

25th November 1916.

De trained at Bailleul marched to billets at Merris district. Arrived at billets 10:45 pm. Quartered in 12 billets. Headquarters at Hameur Farm.

26th November 1916.

4 Officers 100 men "A" Company arrived at Merris at 8:30 am. Remainder of Battalion arrived at Merris 4:00 pm. Hostile aircraft shelled overhead 2:15 pm.

27th November 1916.

8 N.C.O's detailed to attend Gas School for 4 days. All Officers instructed in Box Respirator by Divisional Gas Officer. General: Alexander John GODLEY and General: Sir John MONASH visited billets at Hameur Farm at 2:30 pm. Captain: John Martin HAWKEY. and 1 N.C.O. per Company visited forward billets at Armentiers.

28th November 1916.

Battalion left for Armentieres in 16 Motor Lorries. Whole Battalion reported in billets at Armentieres at 5:30pm. Headquarters established at 6:00pm Rue De Strasburg.

29th November 1916.

Whole Battalion still in billets-supply Working Parties Only.

30th November 1916.

Visited the front line on left sector of defenses at Armentiers.

1: 36th Battalion war Diary.

Percival was killed in action on the 10th June 1917 and is remembered with honour and is commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at the Menin Gate War Memorial.

MENIN GATE WAR MEMORIAL

Family Information

Percival Dawson  was a single 21 year old Waiter from Leichardt via Sydney, N.S.W. upon enlistment with the AIF his parents Abraham and Louisa Dawson lived at 48, South Market Rd., Great Yarmouth, England. Percival departed London on the 12th September 1912 bound for Brisbane, Queensland as a 17 year old Labourer on board the  "Themistoles" which was later a Transport Ship during World War 1

(Simon Dawson: April 2019)

Military Records

 

Under Construction: 11/04/2019.