Obituary for Colonel WG Dawson DL
Colonel “Bill” Dawson was born on 5 May 1932 in Hinckley, Leicestershire and throughout his life he was proud to consider himself to be a Man of Hinckley. He died on 14 July 2014 and his funeral, held at St James The Greater Church in Leicester, was attend by a large number of his friends and colleagues from the many organisations with which he had been involved.
After school at Oakham, Bill was called up for National Service. After attending Eaton Hall OCTU, he was commissioned on 24 May 1952 and posted to the 1st Battalion The Royal Leicestershire Regiment in Quorn and Iserlohn BAOR until his release in September 1953.
On completion of his National Service, Bill returned to Hinckley and joined the hosiery firm of Atkins Brothers where his father was a Director. He learned the trade with the firm and over the years that followed his responsibilities steadily increased until he was appointed a Director and subsequently Managing Director, by which time the company had become “Public”. Ultimately he became Chairman of the Board, retiring in 2002.
During these years in the hosiery industry, Bill joined and became an enthusiastic member of the Territorial Army, serving with the Hinckley-based C Company of 5th Battalion The Royal Leicstershire Regiment. In 1961 he was promoted to command the Company and continued in that role up to the major re-organisation of the TA in 1967. By that time, following the merger with the former 4th Battalion which prior to the Second World War had become a Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA, the 5th Battalion had become 4/5th Battalion.
During his time in command Bill would arrange joint training and social events with D Company based in Loughborough, which was commanded by his great and longstanding friend Major Richard Bream. On the surface there was intense rivalry between the two Companies and their OCs, but underneath there was a strong bond of friendship and comradeship with all ranks.
In 1966 Bill was awarded the Territorial Decoration. In the 1967 re-organisation of the TA, the 4/5th Battalion became a Cadre of The Royal Leicestershire Regiment and Bill continued his TA service as a Major in the Cadre until 1969 when he was appointed its commander.
In 1971 in yet another re-organisation of the TA, the Cadre became a fully-manned Company of the newly created 7th Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment. Bill was appointed to command its B Company with its HQ in Leicester and in 1973 was appointed the Battalion 2IC. A year later he was appointed to command the Battalion in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel until 1977 when he retired from the active list.
Throughout all this time Bill was a busy member of The Royal Tigers’ Association, and he served as Chairman of its General Committee from 1985 to 1996. He also served as Chairman of the Sub- Commttee which planned, created and subsequently supervised Royal Tigers’ Wood. During this time he was appointed Deputy Honorary Colonel (Leicestershire) The Royal Anglian Regiment; a recognition of his long period of committed service to the TA. Another recognition of that service came with his appointment as a Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire in 1984.
Apart from his service in the TA, Bill was active and achieved senior status in Leicestershire Freemasonry. He was also a long serving committee member of SSAFA in Leicestershire, taking on its Chairmanship in 1998 for a period of 10 years.
For the last two years of his life, Bill suffered a severe disability which committed him to life in a wheel chair. Having lost his dear wife Mary in 2000, his two daughters arranged for Bill to take up residence in South Lodge, a residential care home in Leicester.
Bill was always cheerful and had an easy-going mien which belied his commitment to whatever task he was currently undertaking. As a result, he had a wide circle of friends who held him in great regard and who now mourn his passing with much sadness, coupled with affection for him and respect for his achievements.