Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Edward Dawson, a baker, born in the October quarter of 1859 in Cadeby, Leicestershire (son of John Dawson, 1821-1862 and Eliza Wheatley, 1820-1865) and his wife Mary Ann Dawson (nee Goodacre, married on the 2nd June 1884 in St. Luke’s Church, Leicester), born on the 1st May 1856 in Thistleton, Rutland and baptised on the 29th July 1856 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Thistleton (daughter of John Goodacre, 1826-1900 and Ann Knight, 1831-1861). John Edward was born in the July quarter of 1890 in Fleckney, Leicestershire and baptised on the 22nd April 1900 in St. Martin’s Church, Desford his siblings were, Mary Goodacre, born on the 10th February 1885 in Nailstone, Leicestershire and baptised on the 26th July 1885 in All Saint’s Church, Nailstone and Elizabeth, born in the January quarter of 1887 in Countesthorpe, Leicestershire and baptised on the 6th February 1887 in St. Andrew’s Church, Countesthorpe, in April 1891 the family home was at School Street, Fleckney.
In March 1901 John was residing in the family home at Welford House, Desford, Leicestershire, together with his father, a coal miner, his mother and siblings, Mary, a domestic housemaid, Elizabeth, Dora Agnes, born on the 11th October 1894 in Leicester and baptised on the 22nd April 1900 in St. Martin’s Church, Desford, Mabel Annie, born on the 6th April 1896 in South Witham, Lincolnshire and baptised on the 22nd April 1900 in St. Martin’s Church, Desford and George Alfred, born on the 27th February 1898 in Desford and baptised on the 22nd April 1900 in St. Martin’s Church, Desford.
In April 1911 John was employed as a colliery clerk and assistant poor law overseer, and was residing in the family home in Desford, together with his father, an underground colliery worker, his mother and siblings Mabel and George.
John married Annie Moss Stretton on the 26th December 1911 in St. Martin’s Church, Desford, Annie was born on the 1st August 1884 in Desford (daughter of Edward Moss Stretton, 1853 and Catherine Ann Spiby, 26th October 1861). John and Annie had a daughter, Catherine Rita Mary who was born on the 15th July 1912 in Desford and was baptised on the 8th September 1912 in St. Martin’s Church, Desford, and who died, aged 19 years in December 1931 and was interred on the 10th December in Desford Cemetery.
John’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Coalville into the Territorial Force. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 28028.
Transferred. To 1/8th Bn. West Yorkshire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 42835.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Transferred. To 1/6th Bn. West Yorkshire Regt. XI Platoon, “C” Company. Pte. Date not known.
Appointed. Lance Corporal. Date not known.
Reported. Missing in action. In the Field. 25/4/18.
Accepted for official purposes to have died on or since. 25/4/18.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, John nominated his wife Annie, as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 25 Apr-18 – In the Line. GRANDE BOIS. About 2.45am the enemy put down a gas barrage and some High Explosive on the Battalion front and also on the back areas, he also used a considerable amount of smoke shells. One bombardment lasted for over an hour but gas respirators were removed at 4.50am as the gas appeared to have cleared although the atmosphere was still very thick from the smoke shells. Companies all reported okay up to this time. About 5.00am the enemy put down a very heavy barrage on the Battalion area and around Battalion Headquarters making movement there almost impossible. Telephone wires were soon cut and touch was lost with the Companies. S.O.S. signals were sent up from Battalion Headquarters at 5.15am as it was evident that the enemy was about to carry out an action on the Battalion front. The enemy apparently attacked the Battalion front and on the fronts of the Battalions on either flank between 5 and 6-00am. Messages were received from “B” and “D” Companies at about 7.00am stating that the enemy had attacked but had been driven off up to the time of dispatching the messages. No further communication at all was received from the front-line Companies. About 6.40am a message was received from the 1/6th Battalion WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT that one of their Companies was fighting a rearguard action near ZERO WOOD. Lieutenant P. CHEEBMAN was sent with the two reserve platoons of “D” Company to form a defensive flank to the North of GRANDE BOIS where his party was seen later holding a position and then fighting a rearguard action. About 7.00am the enemy appeared at the Northern BRICKSTACKS South East of GRANDE BOIS. This prevented communication with the front line by runners. The enemy appear to have come right round the right flank of the Battalion front and were working along the valley of the WYTSHAETE BEEK in a Northerly direction in rear of Battalion Headquarters. It was decided to withdraw Battalion Headquarters and positions were taken up as follows. The Battalion Headquarters of the 1/6th Battalion WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT and the 1st EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT took up defensive positions near Headquarters and in a crater about N.18.b.3.7 and 1/5th Battalion WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT Headquarters took up position in CHINESE TRENCH about N.12.c.8.2 under Command of Lieutenant Colonel N. ODDEL. These positions were held until about 10.00am although the Battalion Headquarters detachment had to keep extending its flank in a North Westerly direction about 300 yards North East and parallel to the VIERSTRAAT – WYTESHAETE Road in order to prevent the enemy from getting round the three Battalion Headquarters staffs. About 9.50am a message was received from Colonel WESTANCE 1/6th WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT that he was evacuating his position and the Battalion Headquarters detachment accordingly held on at CHINESE TRENCH until a party had withdrawn and it was concluded that the 1/6th WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT and 1st EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT detachments had withdrawn. The Battalion detachment then commenced a withdrawal to the VIERSTRAAT line which was reached about 11.50am and touch was gained with a Battalion of ROYAL SCOTS on the left although there still appeared to be a large gap on the right and touch with our own troops on that flank could not be obtained. It was discovered however that there was one Company of ROYAL SCOTS holding a reserve line behind the road in O.5.c. About 12.10pm the enemy were up to the VIERSTRAAT cross roads and had carried YORK ROAD south of that point. Colonel ODDEL then tried to form a defensive flank from N.11.a.9.2 to N.10.b.9.5. This position was never established but a defensive flank about N.10.b.8.6 was established by 2nd Lieutenant B. A. KING who was in touch with the Company of the SCOTTISH RIFLES on the left in N.10.b and N.5.c and eventually he succeeded in getting in touch with the troops on our right flank about N.10.b.5.7. Meanwhile Colonel ODDEL with about 20 Other Ranks including a small detachment from a Company of KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS held an outpost line at N.11.a.5.5 from which he did not withdraw until 10.00pm by which time a line had been established behind road from N.10.b.7.6 to RIDGE WOOD and advance posts had been established. The line was taken over by Australian and New Zealand troops and small detachments of KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS and SCOTTISH RIFLES. Battalion Headquarters was established in a tunnel dugout at N.10.b.3.9, the party consisting of Lieutenant Colonel ODDEL, Captain W. H. FREEMAN, 2nd Lieutenant B. A. KING and 21 Other ranks, there being about 1 Officer and 20 Other Ranks each of the 1/6th and 1/7th Battalions WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT in the trench in front of Battalion Headquarters. There is practically no information regarding the fighting in the front line, as the enemy appear to have broken through well outside the flanks of the Battalion and worked round to the rear of the front-line Companies. Apparently, there must have been a strong resistance by the Battalion as the enemy did not come forward down the WYTSCHAETE RIDGE until about 9.30pm or about 4 hours after the attack commenced. The casualties suffered by the Battalion were 18 Officers and 548 Other Ranks killed, wounded and missing. (Details shown in summary for the month in entry on the 29th instant.)
On the 12th November 1918, John’s widow Annie, of the Post Office, Desford, Leicestershire, was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of twenty shillings and five pence for herself and her daughter, this was further increased to thirty-four shillings and four pence and was commensurate on the 18th November 1918. This was further increased to thirty-six shillings and eight pence on the 31st January 1919.
[recognitum II-XI-MMXXIII]

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday May 17th, 1918

LOCAL CASUALTIES

News reached Desford on Monday of the death in action on April 25th of Sergeant John E. Dawson, West Yorks. Deceased was one of the best known and most highly respected young man in Desford. Before enlisting, about two years ago, he was assistant overseer and clerk to Desford Parish Council. He was a loyal Churchman, being a chorister at the Parish Church, and the deepest sympathy of the whole village is extended to Mrs Dawson and her little daughter in their sad bereavement. He was son-in-law to Mr E. Moss, the village postmaster and clerk and sexton at the Parish Church. Since he joined up, his wife has been doing his work as rate collector. Before Sunday evening’s service a muffled peal was rung on the Parish Church bells, as a tribute of respect to his memory, by the following ringers, 1 C. Pettit (conductor), 2 W. Sargeson, 3 Dennis Wood, 4 E. Orchin, 5 Rev. W. D. Thomas, tenor T. Archer.

Coalville Times article - Friday April 18th, 1919

DESFORD

MEMORIAL

At Desford Parish Church a tablet has been unveiled, presented by the choir to the memory of a late chorister, Lance-Corpl. Jno. Dawson. Mr Amos Dilkes, who has just completed 50 years’ service in the choir, unveiled the tablet, and the Rector read the dedicatory prayers. The tablet bears the inscription:

“Sacred to the memory of Lance Corporal John Edward Dawson, 1/6th West York Regiment. A faithful chorister and Church worker since a boy. Killed in action on Mount Kemmel, in France, in the service of his country, April 25th, 1918. Aged 27 years. ‘Faithful unto death’.”

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 15/2/2018