THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

DAWSON Robert Boyd

11727, Captain, Headquarters 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade

30039, Major General, General's List

CITATION

Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB)

Gazetted 14 June 1969, p6001

Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Gazetted 1 January 1965, p43

Distinguished Service Order

Gazetted 30 December 1941, p7334

For devotion to duty and great qualities of leadership.  Captain Dawson is Brigade Major to 5 Infantry Brigade and, during the whole of the operations in Crete showed great qualities and endurance and leadership. When communications failed as a result of enemy landings and air machine-gunning, I sent Captain Dawson up to assist in reorganizing the units that had been driven off Maleme Airfield.  He was absent for 20 hours, and during the whole time moved from unit to unit in great personal peril, but inspiring the commanders to further efforts. He walked many miles through parachutist infested country to report over the telephone, and by his efforts the new front was established and securely held.  In the later phases on the march to the beach he was untiring in his efforts to establish points of resistance to the enemy’s advance.  I do not think any other individual officer did so much to increase the fighting capacity of the troops as Captain Dawson

Mention in Despatches

Gazetted

KNOWN AWARDS

Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB)

Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Distinguished Service Order

1939-45 Star

Africa Star

8th Army

Defence Medal

War Medal 1939-45

Mention in Despatches

New Zealand War Service Medal

Campaign Service Medal 1962

Malay Peninsula

Coronation Medal 1953

NOTES

Born 21 July 1916, Rotorua, New Zealand

Died 24 July 1977, Wellington, New Zealand