In Ryton Cemetery is the grave of 6840 Lance-Corporal Frederick William Dobson V.C.,  serving with the Coldstream Guards, who died  13/11/1935.

Frederick William Dobson was born on the 9th November 1886, at Nafferton Farm, then in the parish of Ovingham, Northumberland and baptised on the 5th December 1886.

He was the son of Thomas Dobson, born in Matfen in 1867, and his wife Elizabeth born 1865, Jarrow who were married on the 9th September 1882.  In the 1891 Census Thomas was a groom.  They had 10 children: Ann, Hannah, Eleanor, Jane, June, Tom, all born at Nafferton.  Andrew and George were born at Standfordham and Caroline was born in Jarrow.

By 1901, the family had moved to 38 Orde Terrace, Rose Hill, Willington Quay, Northumberland. His father now was a Stationery Engine Engineer. Frederick was an apprentice painter and sign writer.

Frederick enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne on the 7th July 1906 for three years with the colours and 9 years in the Reserve. When he enlisted he was 5 feet 7 inches tall, 19 years and 8 months old.  He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair.  His trade was a labourer.  His weight was 132 lbs, although after 6 months in the army his weight was 148 lbs.  His stated religion was Church of England. Distinguishing marks were two irregular crow’s feet on his left hand. He was employed at Backworth Colliery.

Frederick joined the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards at London on the 14th July 1906, but had attested prior to this on the 7th July 1906.  He served until the 7th July 1909 with the colours then was transferred into the Reserve. Residing at High Spen, he worked at Garesfield Colliery as a horsekeeper and lodged for a while with Mr. Tommy Brougham at Hookergate then lived above Cumberledge’s shop in Front Street.

Frederick married Rebecca Cuthbell Dobson on the 30th September 1911 at St Patrick’s Church at Winlaton, Durham. She was born in 1889, at Bede Lodge, Chopwell.  She lived at 21 Nell Terrace, Whinfield, Rowlands Gill, Co Durham.  Rebecca was the daughter of Robert and Jane Dobson, nee Pearson, who married in 1882.

They had three children, Robert, born 30th June 1912, at Gateshead; Thomas, born 17th November 1913, at Newcastle upon Tyne, and Jane, christened at St John’s Church on the 17th March 1915.  In 1915 they were residing at 14 Chapel Street, Chirton,  North Shields.

On the outbreak of WW1 frederick was called up. He joined the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards on the 6th August 1914, and was appointed a Lance-Corporal on the 21st November 1914.

The 2nd Battalion marched out of the Victoria Barracks, Windsor, on the night of the 11th/12th August, taken by rail to Southampton, then embarked in the Olympia and the Novara, which also carried the Irish Guards, to Le Havre on the 13th August. The battalion were supposed to leave Le Havre at 3.10am on the night of the 14/15th, but there was an unavoidable delay. The battalion spent 5 hours at the station soaked due to a violent thunderstorm which started about midnight.

The battalion left on the 15th and spent the whole day in a train. On Sunday 16th August they marched in fine weather to Vadencourt. On the 23rd August they entered Belgian territory, the 2nd Battalion went to Hyon, about 1 mile south east of Mons.

On Monday 28th September the day dawned in thick mist, but just as one of the patrols from the Tunnel Post, consisting of three men, were approaching the German trenches, the mist suddenly lifted. Two of the three men were instantly shot, the third escaping to the trench, with 5 bullets in his legs and wounds in the arms.  To leave the wounded out until darkness set in, when rescue would be more feasible, meant exposure for many hours without attention.  To attempt to get them in by daylight, which entailed crossing a considerable distance in full view of the enemy and exposed the whole way to his fire, appeared an impossible achievement.

Captain Follett asked for volunteers, No 6840 Lance-Corporal F.W. Dobson volunteered to try, and crawled out under a heavy fire to the two men. One of these, Albert Haldenby, was dead. The other man, a Private Butler, was alive but badly wounded in three places. Having done what he could to apply first-aid dressings to the wounded man, Dobson crawled back.  Helped by Corporal Brown, a second volunteer, he crawled out a second time. He succeeded in dragging out a stretcher, and finally brought the wounded man back to safety. The second adventure was assisted by a partial return of the mist.

For this act of conspicuous bravery, Lance-Corporal Dobson fully deserved the Victoria Cross, and it was immediately awarded to him. The D.C.M. was conferred on Corporal Brown.

On this day three men died from the Coldstream 2nd Battalion, 7317, Private Albert Haldenby, 9146, Private C. Burroughs and 5616, Private Sydney Crich.

Dobson himself later said “I volunteered and went out, although heavily fired at, but I had made up my mind to get at him”.  Dobson said that Corporal Brown was brave, and never showed the least fear. Corporal Brown died three days later.

Lady Mildred Follett, the officer’s wife, received a letter from her husband in which the latter described Dobson’s brave deed. She at once wrote to Mrs Dobson, Frederick’s wife. “You will be glad to know, that your husband is very well, and has behaved with great gallantry. I am sure this will make you very proud, and I do congratulate you on having such a gallant soldier for a husband., and it will give you confidence for the future to know that he is under Divine protection and will come back safely to you. I know how trying this time is.”
Source: Baldwin Project

At the Battle of Ypres, William was Mentioned in Despatches on the 8th of December 1914.  He was badly wounded and these wounds were to give him trouble all his life.

After receiving his Victoria Cross on the 3rd February 1915 Frederick returned home to North Shields on Friday 5th February. On the Monday night of the 8th, Dobson was given a civic reception at the Town Hall by the Mayor of Tynemouth, Councillor H. Gregg, who invited Corporal Dobson and a few of his friends to dinner. Dobson was presented with a purse of gold in the Council Chamber, which was crowded by ladies and gentleman.

The Mayor in his address said, that Corporal Dobson only arrived at his home on Friday, and the fact was only brought to his knowledge on Sunday. He thought he would have been remiss in his duty if he had not done something to give their heroic townsman the welcome he deserved. Unfortunately there was little time to do anything owing to the fact that Corporal Dobson was on the point of leaving again for the front. On Wednesday last Corporal Dobson received the Victoria Cross from the hands of the King, and that was not the only honour he had received, because he had also had the distinction of being presented to His Majesty upon the field of battle in France. He believed that Corporal Dobson was the first townsman who had won the Victoria Cross, and that their gathering that evening was unique.

Corporal Dobson’s reply was:- I didn’t expect any reception he said  I didn’t want one. I wanted to land here quietly and go away quietly, and then, when I came back for good, you could have pleased yourselves what you did . Laughter. Proceeding, Corporal Dobson said he was going straight back to the firing line, and, he could assure them, he would sooner have been in the firing line at the moment than have to make a speech. Laughter and applause. He again thanked them, Applause.

Later in the evening, Corporal Dobson was escorted by a band and an immense crowd through densely-thronged streets to the railway station, where he had a most boisterous send-off. He was escorted by the Mayor and Mayoress in a Landau to the station, before leaving at 9.30 pm. Proceeded by the Tynemouth Royal Garrison Artillery band. Saville Street was impassable, so was the route to the station.
Source: Newcastle Journal, Tuesday 09/02/1915.

He left North Shields on the 9th to return to the front line.  Frederick was wounded by a bullet in his back. His medical report states “Gun Shot Wound to his Buttock at Givenchy on the 24th February 1915”.  He was helping to make a dugout. Taken to a Casualty Clearing Station, he then was invalided home on the 2nd March 1915.

On the 3rd of March he was posted to the 4th Battalion, then to the 5th Battalion on the 12th August 1915.  On the 5th September 1916, he was transferred to Class W in the Army Reserve, to remain in Class W Army Reserve so long as it was necessary to retain him in civil employment.  Finally, on the 31st October 1916, he was transferred into Class P Army Reserve.

He was given the Silver War Badge, number 288706, along with a certificate.

During this time when he was based in the UK, Corporal Dobson travelled around the North East as part of a recruiting drive to get more men to enlist, especially for the Tyneside Scottish.  On the 7th July, he attended two meetings in Newcastle, as a speaker recruiting for the Scottish Tyneside and the 1/4th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers at the Cowen Memorial and at Cathedral Square. On the 14th July he was found at Hexham in the Town Hall; on the 22nd July, he was speaking at Blyth, on 23rd at Consett and Seghill, on 24th at South Shields, on 25th at Whitley Bay. Then on Saturday 31st July he was at the Cricket ground at Berwick upon Tweed in the morning and in the evening at the town hall steps.  On August the 22nd he was at Blyth, then at Chester le Street on the 23rd, where 8 recruits enlisted. Then on the 24th August he was back at North Shields recruiting at Borough Road. In September he visited Consett, Wooler and Blyth.

He was discharged from the army on the 1st July 1917, due to being no longer physically fit for War Service. Authy, A.C.I. 1039/17.  He was permanently excluded from liability to medical re-examination under the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act, 1917.  For his pension award, he had completed 10 years and 360 days Army Service. His pension was 12s 9d a week rising to 14s 6d from the 3rd April 1917. Frederick was also awarded the Russian Cross of the Order of St. George 4th Class
Source: London Gazette 24/08/1915

After being discharged, Frederick was employed as a Cinema Commissionaire at the Albion Cinema, where he had a free lifetime pass. He was in constant pain due to his injuries and spent a lot of time in hospitals.

After his award he was feted for the remainder of the War, but after demobilization the world was not interested in him. Employers ignored him because of his wounds and he became embittered and disillusioned.

The Victoria Cross, he recently once said is a detriment to obtaining employment. I worked in the mines. One day it became known that I held the V.C., and from that time life became almost unbearable because of the accusations of favouritism- I was forced to leave my job.
He was not in agreement with the ceremonial parades that are held on the anniversary of Armistice Day  and said all the pomp and ceremony should be discontinued.
Source :  Unknown Article

He received the V.C. “For conspicuous gallantry at Chavonne (Aisne) on the 28th September 1914, in bringing into cover on two occasions, under heavy fire, wounded men who were lying exposed in the open.

When it became known that he was in London, King George expressed his desire to pin the Victoria Cross on the breast of the hero of Chavanne.  There followed a search to find the hero. As an officer put it, We just managed to catch him. Corporal Dobson, who was in mufti, was hurried off to the regimental head-quarters, supplied with full-dress uniform, and conducted to Buckingham Palace, two officers of the Coldstream Guards accompanying him.
Source: The Baldwin Project.

There was a letter sent to his wife from a Private C.B. Dixon stating: I am sorry to say that Corporal Dobson, V.C., of North Shields, was wounded on Wednesday, so if you see his wife you can tell her that I think it is not very serious. He was hit in the back with a shrapnel Bullet.

Frederick Dobson was residing in rented rooms at 418 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne when he died at Newcastle General Hospital on the 13th November 1935. He was aged 49.  His address was stated as 20 Mount Pleasant, Mickley, Northumberland, occupation: Cinema Attendant.

His brother Tom Dobson, residing then at 9 Morgyhill, East Crawcrook, Co Durham was informed of his death.

Frederick wanted to be buried at Crawcrook Cemetery but there was no space, so Ryton cemetery was picked instead.  He was buried at Ryton Cemetery with full military honours.

For over 50 years his burial site lay unattended and obscured until in March 1986, the Newcastle upon Tyne branch of the Coldstream Guards Association took ownership and now maintain in perpetuity his new headstone and kerb border. This was dedicated on the 15th March 1986.

Three of his Medals including the V.C. were found in a pawnbroker’s shop in Newcastle in 1936. These were retained by the Coldstream Guards Regimental Collection. The other two medals were held by Dobson’s oldest son, and in May 1988 they were given to the Regimental Collection at Wellington Barracks, London.

See third photograph.
“My great great aunt Grace Mitchell was a nurse during the first World War. She was stationed in Belgium and Oxford where the Town Hall and Colleges were used as hospitals. Several of the photographs show her and her colleagues proudly posing next to this VC winner who we have identified as Frederick William Dobson. I would love to think that if there are any descendants of his they could see these photographs. They probably don’t know they exist.”
Source : Guardian News and Media Limited, with Thanks.

Frederick William Dobson is remembered at Ovingham on O11.08 and at High Spen on H106.04.