Trooper John Dawson

Trooper John Dawson, East African Mounted Rifles. He was killed in action in East Africa on 13th May 1915, aged 26, and is commemorated on the. Nairobi British and Indian Memorial, Nairobi, Kenya. He was born in 1889 at Grizzelrig Farm to Peter and Jane Dawson of Grizelrig farm, Leitholm and on leaving school he worked as a shepherd. In 1912 he emigrated to South Africa and worked on a ranch there. On the outbreak of War he joined the East African Rifles where each man supplied his own horse, uniform and weapons. Eventually they were issued with formal uniforms and received some military training. They were all expert horsemen, good shots and were well accquainted with the terrain. They were usually employed in trying to flush out enemy raiding parties and manning the Borders.