Yarm 1914

Joseph Dawson died of pneumonia after the war was officially over on 27th December 1918 aged 27. Three days later George William Campbell also from Yarm also died in the same place of pneumonia aged 24. Joseph’s family lived on the High Street in Yarm. The 1918 1919 Pneumonia epidemic (Spanish flu) infected 500 million people worldwide and killed between 10 and 20% of those affected. It therefore became one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. This eclipsed the 37 million military and civilian casualties of WW1.

Joseph served with the 99th Brigade Royal Field Artillery as a Shoeing Smith. The Brigade was the basic tactical unit of the field artillery of the British army in the Great War. It was composed of a Brigade Headquarters and a number of batteries of guns or howitzers. Each battery had amongst other ranks 4 Shoeing Smiths (of which 1 would be a Corporal). The Brigade would also have a Ammunition Column which also had amongst other ranks 4 Shoeing Smiths (of which 1 would be a Corporal). Joseph was in B battery. Shoeing Smiths shod horses and knew the Blacksmiths trade, but not all blacksmiths can shoe a horse.

Joseph’s war memorial is number 1830 situated in Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria in Greece. Joseph and Mark had a brother and sister called Sarah and John and the family lived at 21 Silver Street when Joseph was born. His father was a plate layer and probably worked with Richard Elcoate (see John Elcoate).

Return to Yarm Roll Call

Yarm 1914 Research ________________

The Yarm 1914 Commemoration Group is carrying out research on the soldiers listed. We are finding where they lived in Yarm and will represent the findings in a wall of poppies presentation. More details will be posted on Facebook, Twitter and this web site. If you have any information please contact us. Left click on the picture below.