Frederick William Dobson
Encyclopedia
Frederick William Dobson (9 November 1886 - 15 November 1935) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Dobson was 27 years old, and a private
in the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
, British Army
during the First World War when the following deed at the First Battle of the Aisne
took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 28 September 1914 at Chavanne
, Aisne, France
, Private Dobson twice volunteered to go out under heavy fire to bring in two wounded men. This undertaking involved crossing a good deal of open ground in full view of the enemy. Private Dobson, however, crawled out and found one of the men dead and the other wounded. He dressed the wounds and then crawled back, to return with a corporal and a stretcher, on to which they put the wounded man and then dragged him back to safety.
He later achieved the rank of lance-corporal. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Coldstream Guards RHQ) , Wellington Barracks in London.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Dobson was 27 years old, and a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War when the following deed at the First Battle of the Aisne
First Battle of the Aisne
The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German First Army & Second Army as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September 1914...
took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 28 September 1914 at Chavanne
Chavanne
Chavanne is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...
, Aisne, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Private Dobson twice volunteered to go out under heavy fire to bring in two wounded men. This undertaking involved crossing a good deal of open ground in full view of the enemy. Private Dobson, however, crawled out and found one of the men dead and the other wounded. He dressed the wounds and then crawled back, to return with a corporal and a stretcher, on to which they put the wounded man and then dragged him back to safety.
He later achieved the rank of lance-corporal. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Coldstream Guards RHQ) , Wellington Barracks in London.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Co. Durham)
- http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DUR/HighSpen/Part3.htmlHistory of High SpenHigh SpenHigh Spen is an old mining village in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. There is an entrance to Chopwell Wood, whose forest festival and Christmas Trees attract many visitors to the village every year. High Spen has one pub, called The Bute Arms, and two Working Men's clubs...
, where Dobson lived] - Memorial to two village heroes at High SpenHigh SpenHigh Spen is an old mining village in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. There is an entrance to Chopwell Wood, whose forest festival and Christmas Trees attract many visitors to the village every year. High Spen has one pub, called The Bute Arms, and two Working Men's clubs...
Primary School