DAWNAY, THE HONOURABLE JOHN, Captain,
was born in London 23 May 1872, eldest son and heir of the 8th Viscount Downe
and Viscountess Downe. He was educated at Eton, and was gazetted to the 10th
Hussars 5 December 1891; was Adjutant, 10th Hussars, 30 May 1898 to 1901;
became Captain 14 June 1899. Captain the Honourable J Dawnay served in the
South African War, 1900-1, as Adjutant, 10th Hussars, to 13 May 1901; Acting
Brigade Major 14 May to July 1901. He was present at the Relief of Kimberley;
operations in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900, including
operations at Paardeberg (17 to 26 February); 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, west of
Pretoria, August to 29 November 1900; operations in Orange River Colony, June
to August 1900, including actions at Wittebergen (1 to 17 July); operations in
Cape Colony, south of Orange River, 1899-1900 including actions at Colesberg
(1 January to 5 February); operations in the Transvaal 30 November 1900 to
July 1901; operations in Cape Colony, July to September 1901. He was
mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 10 September 1901]; received the
Queen's Medal with seven clasps, and was created a Companion of the
Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "The
Honourable John Dawnay, Captain, 10th Hussars. In recognition of services
during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia were presented to him by
the King 24 October 1901. He retired from the 10th Hussars 3 August 1904,
subsequently becoming Major of the King's Own Norfolk Imperial Yeomanry.
When the European War broke out, Major Dawnay went to France as ADC in 1915 to
Sir John French, becoming Lord French's ADC when the latter was appointed
Commander-in-Chief in England in 1916, and later Military Secretary
to Lord French in Ireland, with the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He
was created a CMG in 1915, and made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and
given the Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel. He was Deputy Lieutenant and Justice
of the Peace, CC, North Riding
of Yorkshire, also Justice of the Peace, Northants. He married, 24 July 1902,
at Hillington, Norfolk, Dorothy, only child of Sir W ffolkes, 3rd Baronet, and they
had two sons, Richard and George William ffolkes, and one daughter, Ruth
Mary.
