Harrogate Herald - 1st January 1919
Wednesday Gossip - Mr and Mrs T B Dawson, of
Station Parade, Harrogate, have at length had their anxiety allayed
in respect to their missing son, Pilot Ernest Dawson, who,
after a flight with his squadron into Germany just before the
armistice was signed, failed to return. A postcard, I am pleased to
hear, has been received stating he may be expected home any time.
Harrogate Herald - 8th January 1919
Wednesday Gossip - Second Lieutenant E Dawson,
of the Royal Air Force, from whom I said a postcard had been
received, arrived home on Saturday week from Germany. His machine
was shot down in a raid on the Fatherland, his petrol tank being
pierced, and he landed with nothing worse than a sprained ankle. He
is now all right again.
Harrogate Herald – 29th January 1919
Acknowledging the Herald, Corporal Denison, of 1 Squadron, RAF,
BEF, writes : I first of all read your most newsy letter to us und
see if there are any Harrogate boys near Le Hamean, where I am
stationed, which is some 15 kilos from Arras; 94 Squadron has broken
up, and most of us are posted to 1 Squadron on the same aerodrome.
We are to receive machines, and are pilots fly them to Marquise;
there the ferry pilots take them to England. I hear this will last
one month, weather permitting, but I hope to be home, back to my
little business in Mowbray Square; better still amongst the
townspeople. During my time in this Corps I have only met two
Harrogate men – Mr Thompson, the principal tenor at the
Congregational Church, and Harold Robinson; his brother has a
fruiterer's shop in the Market Hall. I was pleased to hear Lieutenant
E Dawson had arrived home after being shot down. We as a
squadron never got into action, for the morning we were to escort a
bombing expedition news came through cancelling the engagement owing
to the Germans pleading for an armistice. We were all up at
day-break, and the machines running up ready to make a start. Most
of our pilots have been out here before and are clever stunters on
this type of machine, 200hp Sev. I've been making my officer a model
to scale which has turned out a success. I will be pleased to make
you one when I return for your kindness, not only to me, but all the
Harrogate boys. I don't know of anyone who has done for us as you
have.
