DAWNAY, GUY PAYAN, Lieutenant, was
born 23 March, 1878, at St James's Palace, London, son of Lieutenant Colonel
the Honourable Lewis Payan Dawnay, second son of the 7th Viscount Downe and
Lady Victoria Grey, sister of the 4th Earl Grey. He was educated at Eton
College, and Magdalen College, Oxford, and joined the 1st Battalion Coldstream
Guards at Gibraltar, July 1899. He became Lieutenant 10 July 1900. He served
throughout the South African War of 1899-1902, taking part in the advance on
Kimberley, including the actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and
Magersfontein; operations in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900
including the actions at Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Vet River (5 and 6 May),
and Zand River; operations in the Transvaal in May and June, 1900, including
actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill (11 and 12 June);
operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to November 1900,
including the actions at Belfast (26 and 27 August); operations in the Orange
River Colony, November 1900; operations in the Transvaal, October 1901 to 31
May 1902; operations in Cape Colony 30 November 1900 to October 1901. He
carried out the duties of Railway Staff Officer, May to June 1901, and was
afterwards on the Staff. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 29
July 1902]; received the Queen's Medal with six clasps, and the King's Medal
with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service
Order, particularly for his services when ADC to General Sir Bruce Hamilton,
KCB [London Gazette, 31 October 1902]: "Guy Payan Dawnay, Lieutenant,
Coldstream Guards. In recognition of services during the operations in South
Africa". Lieutenant Dawnay was ADC to the Major General, 5th Brigade, 1st
Army Corps, 9 April 1903, to 29 February 1904; ADC to the Major General, 2nd
Division and 3rd Brigade, 1st Army Corps, 1 March to 1 May 1904; ADC to the
Major General, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, 2 May to 15 June, 1904. He was
Adjutant of the Guards' Depot from 5 November 1904 to 4 November 1906', and
was made, an MVO in 1906. He was at the Staff College in 1908 and 1909; was
promoted Captain 16 February 1909, and joined the Committee of Imperial
Defence in 1910. In the following year he left the Coldstream Guards with the
rank of Captain, and joined the Reserve of Officers. Captain Dawnay served in
the European War from its outbreak to 30 April, 1919. He took part with
distinction in the Dardanelles Campaign, March 1915 to January 1916; the
fighting in Egypt and Sinai, 1916; in Palestine, until the taking of
Jerusalem, 1917; in France, 1918 to 1919. He was mentioned in Despatches
eleven times; created a CB and CMG in 1918, and was given the Brevets of Major
and Lieutenant Colonel, and awarded the following foreign distinctions: the
Legion of Honour (Officier); Order of St Anne (Russia); Order of St Maurice
and St Lazarus (Italy), and the Distinguished Service Medal (USA). He was
promoted Lieutenant Colonel 3 May 1919, and retired with the rank of honorary
Major General. Major General Dawnay married, 12 July 1906, at Holy Trinity,
Sloane Street, London, Cecil, youngest daughter of Francis W Buxton, and the
Honourable Mrs Buxton, and their children were: Pamela; Christopher Payan
(born 6 July 1909), and Elizabeth Lavender.
