Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The official dates cover the period from 15th June 1915 to 8th August 1915. This is the period on the Western Front following the piecemeal engagements North of the La Bassee canal at Aubers Ridge, Festubert & Givenchy but before the Battle of Loos, the largest Western Front battle of 1915.

Detail :

Major Montague Charles Dobson, R.H.A., also entitled to the Q.S.A., K.S.A. and twice Mentioned in Despatches was killed in action at the Battle of Loos 26 September 1915. His 1914 Star was sold at Chrysties on 10/11/1992. Major Montague Charles Dobson was born in Maseru, Basutoland (now Lesotho). He died 26 Sep 1915 in France - First World War. Montague married Florence Bliss Sloley on 1908 in Maseru, Basutoland (now Lesotho). DOBSON - SLOLEY - On January 26 1910, at Maseru, Basutoland, Captain Montague Charles Dobson, F.R.G.S., of the Royal Field Artillery, second son of Mr. Nelson C. Dobson, F.R.C.S., of Clifton Bristol, to Florisse, eldest daughter of H. C. Sloley, C.M.G., Resident Commissioner of Basutoland. Major Montague Charles Dobson. Royal Horse Artillery Queen?s South Africa Medal with clasps: Cape Colony. Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut., RFA) King?s South Africa Medal with two clasps (Lieut., R. F. A.) 1914 Star (Major, R.F.A.) British War Medal (Major) WW1 Victory Medal (Major) M. I. D. LG 10 September 1901 LG 29 July 1902 Born at Maseru, Basutoland (now Lesotho) on 4 June 1879, the second son of Nelson C. Dobson, FRCS and Lousia A. Dobson of 16 College Road, Clifton, Bristol. He was educated at Clifton College from September 1890 to 1896 and appointed as a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich on 30 July 1896. On 26 February 1898 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery and was posted to No. 14 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery at Sheerness. He transferred to 20th Battery, R. F. A. in January 1900 and served with it in South Africa. He took part in the operations in the Transvaal from December 1900 until December 1901; operations in the Zululand frontier of Natal in October 1901; and in operations in the Orange River Colony from January to 31 May 1902. For his services during the South African War he was twice Mentioned in Despatches: in the despatches of Lord Roberts? dated 4 September 1901 (London Gazette of 10 September 1901) and Lord Kitchener?s despatch of 23 June 1902 (London Gazette of 29 July 1902). He was awarded the Queen?s South Africa Medal with clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal and the King?s South Africa Medal with the usual two clasps. On 16 February 1901 he was promoted to Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery. On 26 January 1904 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Dobson continued to serve in South Africa with 20th Battery, 9th Brigade, R. F. A. until 16 January 1905 and was promoted to Captain on 28 October 1905. From 17 January 1905 to 17 April 1909 he was specially employed in South Africa carrying out reconnaissance surveys for a four-sheet, 1.014 inch to 4 mile scale map of Basutoland which shows native locations, main and bridle roads, river fords, mission stations, etc. the map was published by the Geographical Section of the General Staff in September 1911. He returned home in July 1909 and from then until 26 July 1910 he served as a Captain in 72nd Battery, 38th Brigade at Bradford. In 1910 his brigade moved to Bulford and from 27 July 1910 until 27 July 1913 he served as Adjutant of 38th Brigade, R. F. A. In late 1913 he was posted as Captain in No. 5 Depot, R. F. A. at Athone but in January 1914 was specially selected as a student officer at the Staff College in Camberley. From 5 August 1914 until early 1915 he served as Assistant Embarkation Staff Officer (Graded as a Staff Captain) at Port No. 1, Southampton and went to France on 6 November 1914. He was promoted to Major on 30 October 1914 and by March 1915 was serving as Officer Commanding of ?D? Battery, 86th Brigade, R. F. A in the 19th Division. In May 1915 he was appointed Brigade Major in the 21st Division and served in that position until he was killed in action at Loos on 26 September 1915. He was buried in Vermelles British Cemetery in Pas de Calais, France in grave I. G. 35. On 26 January 1910 at Baseru, Basutoland, he married Florisse, eldest daughter of H. C. Sloley, CMG, Resident Commissioner of Basutoland. She died in Kenya on 8 October 1956. His younger brother was killed in action on the night of 4-5 April, 1916, while a Captain in the Worcestershire Regiment. His British War Medal and WW1 Victory Medal were issued on 3 November 1920 but they were returned by the post office on 12 November 1920. The photo is from the Illustrated London News. May I ask the reason for your interest in Major Dobson? Sources: Army Lists London Gazette Medal Index Card CWGC Commemorative Record Obituary from The Times Clifton College Register, 1862 ?1925 List of Officers who have received commissions in the Royal Regiment of from June, 1862 to June, 1914, Volume II South Africa Magazine, 12 February 1910 (www.genealogy.co.za/marriages.html

Masonic :

Passed and Raised in Basutoland Lodge No. 2835 located in Maseru, Natal, a lodge which he joined 9th September 1905. He resigned from L2835 8th July 1911.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley