GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
‘I wish to bring to your notice the excellent work which has been done by the officers and ratings under my command. Flights over
three hours duration have been carried out during adverse climatic conditions and over country which offers no possibility of making a
safe landing, frequently through gorges enfiladed by machine-gun fire and flanked by mountains. Over 13,000 miles have been flown
in enemy country since 1 June.’
While the following patrol report, dated 16 December 1916, is typical of many such operations undertaken by Stewart-Dawson, and
pertinent to the period of operations that led to the above mentioned recommendation for the M.C.:
‘Aeroplane proceeded to Kabesa. Kabesa and the surrounding country was thoroughly reconnoitered. Aeroplane proceeding in
direction of Kissangira. The villages of Massanga, Wissiga, Hui and Fulwe were in flames but no enemy was observed. The country
between Massanga and Kissagira was reconnoitered, and small villages were observed to be in flames. Extremely heavy rain storms
made further observation impossible. Aeroplane landed at Manamanga at 8.50 a.m. A telephonic communication was received from
the O.C., Massanga Camp, urgently requesting an aeroplane to reconnoitre the destroyed villages. These were observed still burning.
Troops were observed under a large Mango tree. Troops opened fire in volleys upon the aeroplane thus disclosing their position to our
troops who were in the bush close by. This reconnaissance took place in heavy rain and successful observation was practically
impossible. Aeroplane landed at Manamanga, then proceeded to Dar-es-Salaam.’
Returning to the U.K. in early 1917 to take up an appointment at Calshot, where he flew ‘all types of machines ... including Shorts, F.B.
A. Flying Boats and Sopwith Baby Seaplanes’ (his C.O’s report, dated 6 May 1917, refers), Stewart-Dawson was shortly afterwards
recommended for promotion to Acting Flight Commander and assumed command of R.N.A.S. Newlyn in September. Meanwhile, he
suffered from recurring bouts of malaria.
Confirmed in the rank of Flight Commander in December 1917, he remained employed in the U.K. until the War’s end, following
which, in the summer of 1919, he was embarked for Murmansk in North Russia in the seaplane carrier Nairana, where he served with
distinction with Syren Force until the end of the year, latterly in the acting rank of Squadron Leader. And, in addition to the award of his
D.S.O. for the above cited deeds, received the Russian Orders of St. Stanislaus, 2nd Class, with swords and St. Vladimir, 4th Class, with
swords, as well as another “mention” (London Gazette 22 December 1919 refers).
Finally demobilised in March 1920, Stewart-Dawson was recalled on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, when he was
appointed a Flying Officer, but he died on 15 October 1940, aged 49 years.
www.dnw.co.uk
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