An interesting Great War Western Front 1914-1915 Star trio awarded to Private E.J. Dadson, Middlesex Regiment, later Essex Regiment who saw service on the Western Front on 12th March 1915 and who wrote a diary in shorthand that is now held by the Imperial War Museum. A keen musician he would later become a Licentiate of Trinity College, London as well as the Bandmaster of the British Legion Hornsey Band in 1942.
Group of 3: 1914-1915 Star; (2412 PTE. E.J. DADSON. MIDD’X R.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (2412 PTE. E.J. DADSON. MIDD’X R.). Mounted loose for wear.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Along with hallmarked silver medal, the reverse engraved ‘From the Hornsey British Legion to Bandmaster E.J. Dadson, 1942’
Ernest James Dadson was born in Islington, London. He was one of ten children born to George and Elizabeth Dadson. Four of their children died in infancy. Ernest attended Duncombe Road School, Islington from 11th January 1897 to 14th September 1897. The 1911 census shows Ernest and three of his siblings living with their parents in Upper Holloway. George Dadson is shown employed as an insurance agent and Ernest was working as a shorthand typist.
Following the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, Ernest enlisted in the 1/7th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. This was a Territorial Battalion based in Hornsey. Ernest’s service record has not survived but his medal index card shows that he arrived in France on 12th March 1915. This was the date that the 1/7th Battalion arrived in France. The 1/7th Middlesex served in France and Flanders throughout the war. The Medal rolls shows that Ernest also served with 4/7th Middlesex and the 2nd Essex Regiment.
Ernest is known to have kept a diary in shorthand during his time in France and this is held by the Imperial War Museum. The entries for 1918 have been transcribed in part. They show that Ernest left Lincoln on 1st April 1918 with a draft to join his battalion in France. Whether he had been on leave or had recovered from a period in hospital is not known. He arrived in France on 6th April and joined his Battalion in the front lines at Busnettes on 14th April. A comparison of Ernest’s diary with the war diaries of 1/7 Middlesex and the 2nd Essex shows that he was serving with the 2nd Essex at the time. His diary records that he was involved in heavy fighting on 19/20 April. This was during the German Army’s Spring offensive. Ernest married Oliver Hart on 22nd July 1918 in Hornsey and his dairy suggests that he had previously been invalided home from France having been gassed. There is a Pension Card for him showing that he received a disability pension in 1919. For his service in WW1. Ernest received the 1914/1915 Star, BWM and Victory Medal. These are named to him as a member of the Middlesex Regiment but issued to him by the Essex Regiment. Ernest’s father and younger brother also served in WW1, George with the ASC from 1915 to 1916 and Edward with the Essex Regiment.
Post War, Ernest and Olive settled in Islington. The couple had four children born between 1919 and 1933. The 1921 census shows them living at Duncombe Road, Upper Holloway with their son Clifford and daughter Iris. Ernest’s occupation is shown as upholsterer. At some point during the late 1920s the family moved to Hastings in Sussex where Ernest established a furnishing business, E.J. Dadson, at 90 Queens Road. Aside from the business, Ernest was active with the Brotherhood Church and was conductor of the Brotherhood Orchestra. The Hastings Observer carries a picture of him sitting with members of the orchestra. The Hastings Observer of 27 June 1931 carries a picture of him sitting with members of the orchestra. The Hastings Observer of 26th June 1937 published a notice of a closing down sale of E J Dadson, 90 Queens Road, Ernest and his family subsequently left Hastings for Barnet. The Electoral Roll for 1938 shows he and olive living at Gloucester Gardens, Barnet. The 1939 Register shows them living in Barnet. Ernest was working as a clerk and collector.
Ernest was a Licentiate of Trinity College, London. It is known when he studied for this music qualification . As well as conducting an orchestra in Hastings, he also played in brass bands and was Bandmaster of the British Legion Hornsey Band in 1942. He was musical Director of the Oxted Band in Surrey in 1954 and also judged band competitions.
The Hastings Observer of 27th May 1944 carried a report of the Wedding at Barnet Baptist Church of Miss iris Dadson to Mr Arthur Crow. The report says that her parents, Mr and Mrs E J Dadson, were formerly of Queens Road, Hastings and the Bride was educated at Hastings High School for Girls. She was attended by her sister Joyce and the Groomsmen were Clifford Dadson and Telegraphist Norman Dadson, RN.
Ernest James Dadson died in Stevenage in December 1978, aged 85. His son Clifford died in 2018, aged 98. He had the distinction of becoming the oldest person to graduate from the Open University at the age of 93 in 2013
