Carole Fife has provided the following:
Thomas's military record states that he was born in New York (Northumberland) and enlisted in Bedlington, but from census returns it would appear that it was his father who was born in New York and Thomas junior was actually born in Choppington. Thomas was born in 1884, the third son to Thomas and Elizabeth Dawson, and his father was a grocer. In 1891 the family were living in Red Row, Bedlington, but by 1901 they had moved to Stone's Buildings in Bedlington. Thomas senior was then a bootmaker and one of his sons was a brickmaker while Thomas junior was a colliery fireman. Thomas married Patience in 1905, and in 1911 they were living at 74 South Row, West Sleekburn, and Thomas was working as a coal carter. They had a daughter in 1909. Although serving with the Black Watch at the time of his death Thomas had previously served as no. 1551 in the Scottish Horse, which he had probably chosen to enlist in due to his experience with horses.
He is remembered at Bedlington on B15.07 and B15.26 page 133
