The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. T Dawson

Thomas Dawson was born on 29th August 1920 in the mining town of Seaham, County Durham. His father Ernest was a miner at Dawdon Colliery.

It was traditional for sons to follow fathers into the mine however Thomas was taken on as an apprentice Outfitter at H Binns Ltd. in Sunderland, six miles away.

Above: after qualifying as a WOp/AG.

He was a member of the local Territorial Army unit in 1938 but this ended when he enlisted in the RAF as an Aircraftman Class 2 on 29th December 1938, aged 18 and 4 months.

He was posted to the Recruit Training Depot at Cardington. He was allocated the trade of Wireless Operator/Air Gunner and received trade training in his next two postings, 2 Wing (10th March 1939 to 5th September 1939) and Inland Area Aircraft School (6th September 1939 to 7th October 1939).

Dawson was then posted to an operational squadron, 219 operating the Blenheim from Catterick.

He flew night sorties with 219 and was promoted to Sergeant on 27th March 1940.

Above: this photo was uncaptioned but there is a strong likliehood of it showing his first crew in 235 squadron (L to R: Dawson, P/O DC Howe, F/lt. WJ Carr)

His next posting was to 235 Squadron on 17th May 1940, operating the Blenheim from Bircham Newton. The squadron then embarked on a series of moves, to Detling on 5th June 1940, Thorney Island on 11th June, Bircham Newton on 19th June, Thorney Island on 19th August, Bircham Newton once more on 11th September, Aldergrove NI on 3rd April 1941 before settling back at Bircham Newton at the end of May 1941.

During the Battle period Dawson flew 35 operational sorties.

He received further training at 2 (C) OTU Catfoss from 26th November 1940 to 16th April 1941.

Posted to RAF Warmwell on 25th May 1941, Dawson, now a Flight Sergeant, was sent from there to short-term attachments in Coastal Command, 235 Squadron on 26th June 1941, operating Blenheims from Dyce, 119 Squadron on 30th June 1941, operating the Catalina from Oban, 413 squadron operating the Catalina, also from Oban.

He then settled at 210 Squadron, operating the Catalina from Oban, on 15th August 1941 and remained with them till 2nd June 1942. During this period he married Catherine More Dunn.

He also spent time at the Royal Navy W/T station at Scarborough, presumably for advanced training.

A rest from operational flying came with a period of further training at RAF College Cranwell, ending on 19th December 1942 with a return to the Depot at Cardington.

By now he had flown 110 operational sorties, sometimes 3 in one day, with longer sorties in Catalinas, one to Aboukir in Egypt via Gibraltar and Malta.

Dawson was selected to instruct at one of the British Flying Training Schools in the USA and sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia on 21st December 1942, continuing by train to Toronto and then to Washington DC for allocation to a school.

This turned out to be No.1 BFTS at Terrell in Texas, 30 miles from Dallas.

For the next three years Dawson trained new Wireless Operator/Air Gunners. This period is sparsely documented apart from some atmospheric photographs (below).

Above: Dawson, now a Warrant Officer, in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

Above: a telegram to his daughter Catherine on her first birthday, June 1943.

With the end of the war the school closed and Dawson returned to the UK, disembarking on 25th September 1945. He was shuttled between various holding centres before being released from the RAF on 23rd February 1946.

He settled in Oban with his family and was employed as a radio mechanic.

From 12th June 1948 to 12th June 1954 he served as a Flight Lieutenant instructor with 2179 Squadron, Air Training Squadron at Benderloch airfield (now Oban Airport).

Above: a certificate acknowledging his ATC service.

He later started a successful TV and radio repair business in Oban but by the early 70s his health deteriorated and he died aged 58 on 22nd May 1979.

Dawson was also awarded the Aircrew Europe Star for service over occupied Europe before D-Day with the Atlantic Clasp for operational sorties over the Atlantic.

All research and images courtesy of David Ross (grandson).