DAWSON, Clive St Vincent
| Service Number: | 409 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ravenswood, Queensland, Australia, 30 June 1883 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Myocardial degeneration,pulmonary fibrosis , East Malvern, Victoria, Australia, 19 August 1942, aged 59 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | South Melbourne Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 409, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orvieto embarkation_ship_number: A3 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 409, 5th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orvieto, Melbourne | |
| 8 Aug 1915: | Honoured Military Medal, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Initially recommended for Distinguished Conduct Medal - awarded retrospective Military Medal for action in August 1915 at Lone Pine on Gallipoli | |
| 12 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michele Dawson
A miner in civilian life, Clive St Vincent Dawson was born on 30 June 1883 at Ravenswood Queensland to Charles Munro Dawson, Mining Manager, born at Braidwood New South Wales and Annie Dawson nee Copeland, born Ballarat Victoria. He enlisted for service in the First World War on 24 August 1914 at the age of 31, at Albert Park, Victoria. He was assigned service number 409 and placed in C Company, 5th Battalion, AIF. He landed at Gallipoli in the first few days of the campaign and was promoted to lance corporal at Gallipoli on 2 May 1915 before being hit 'in the upper extremities' the next day. Evacuated for medical treatment, he rejoined his battalion at the end of the month.
The 5th Battalion fought at the Battle of Lone Pine between 6 and 9 August; Dawson aka "Tiny", due to his height 6'2, was promoted to sergeant on 12 August. He was awarded a retrospective Military Medal for his work in August 1915 at Lone Pine on Gallipoli. The citation reads 'For conspicuous good work particularly in resisting enemy bomb attacks on Lone Pine early in August 1915 (Previously recommended for Distinguished Conduct Medal)'.
Evacuated from the peninsula on 12 October due to dental problems, Dawson spent some time in No 2 Stationary Hospital on the island of Mudros before rejoining his unit in Egypt in early 1916. After the battalion transferred to the Western Front "Tiny" fought at Pozieres, where he received a slight wound but remained on duty, and then in Belgium and later on the Somme. After suffering from the symptoms of mumps, in May 1917, he was transferred to England to join the 2nd Training Battalion at Durrington and in October attended the 37th Army Course in Physical and Bayonet Instruction course where he qualified as an instructor.
In March 1918 he rejoined his battalion in France but on 11 September suffered gas inhalation when the battalion was approaching St Martin’s Wood near Proyart. He returned to Australia in December 1918 and was discharged on 28 March 1919.
On 14 June 1919 he married Christabel Barbara Armstrong born at Tyers who grew up in Walhalla a gold mining town in the early 1900's and where they met. They resided in East Malvern and had two children Linda (Mrs Warner)and Clive Percival Dawson who served with 10 Field Coy RAE in New Guinea during WW2.
The 7 years prior to his death "Tiny " worked for J B Were & Son Stockbrokers in Collins Street Melbourne as Head Messenger involving duties of responsibility and trust a position no doubt arranged by Staniforth Ricketson DCM, who was known to help those he served with during WW1. Ricketson served with the 5th Battalion and alongside "Tiny" in the trenches at Gallipoli detonating bombs as evidenced in letters received.
"Tiny" was highly regarded by his fellow comrades and as one of the pioneers of the "Jam Tin" bomb used at Lone Pine.
After the war Clive "Tiny" Dawson suffered from shortness of breath and palpitations and received a pension for the effects of gas; he was diagnosed as suffering laryngitis, pulmonary fibrosis and conjunctivitis. His complaints worsened throughout the 1930s eventually causing pleurisy in late 1941. He died on 19 August 1942 at Caulfield Repatriation Hospital.
Ref NAA
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