How can I learn more about my great uncle’s service in the First World War?
QI’m trying to track down my great uncle, William George Dawson (b1886), who allegedly died in the First World War. I think he enlisted at the same time as my great grandad, Richard Jones (b1885), whose records I have. Would they have had consecutive numbers if they joined up together?
Richard was a driver in the Royal Field Artillery. The story is William couldn’t control his horse, so Richard swapped with him and William rode away never to be seen again!
Karen Mullins
AUnfortunately, I don’t think your great grandad’s service record is likely to be much help. Regimental numbers weren’t issued when a man was first recruited, but when he was posted to a unit for training. Richard was with 149 Brigade Royal Field Artillery, 150 Brigade RFA and finally 169 Brigade RFA. You can search for numbers close to Richard’s (15997) in The National Archives’ online collection of Medal Index Cards ( bit.ly/tna-mics) by replacing the numbers at the end with *. Searching for the name Dawson, regiment Royal Artillery, between 159** and 161**, no William emerges. If he enlisted in a different regiment, his number would have been radically different because each regiment had their own numbering system.
Given the story about the horse, William might have been in the Royal Artillery. There’s a driver called William George Dawson, number 182353, who has a MIC and a Silver War Badge, the roll for which shows he enlisted on 26 November 1915 and was discharged sick on 31 December 1917, aged 33. Could this be him? There’s no service record, but as he was discharged sick, there may be a pension card with more details. These are being gradually released by Ancestry on fold3.com, but you’ll have to pay extra to see them.
Phil Tomaselli