King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

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Our new exhibition! Open from 6th May 2010.

Boys Scouts on Imperial Service

24th May 2010 marks the centenary of the establishment of Lonsdale District Scouts. Many of the early boy scouts saw service in the First World War all keen to volunteer for the service of their King and Country. A number of local scouts saw service with the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. Some of the items in the museum’s collection reflect their service.

A new temporary exhibition includes items relating to three of them:

	Herbert Dobson
	Arthur Johnson
	William Thompson

Sergeant Herbert Dobson MM

Accession Number : KO0534/01

Wooden grave marker cross of Sergeant Herbert Dobson, of the 1st/5th Battalion, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, killed in action on 9th August 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, 1916.
Quarry Cemetery, Montauban, Somme, France.

Sergeant Herbert Dobson - Killed
Lancaster Guardian 19 August, 1916
"A brave young Lancastrian, who had gained the Military Medal for meritorious conduct on the field, has been killed in action, viz, Sergeant Herbert Dobson, of the 5th King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regt. The sad news was received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dobson of 75 Windermere Road, Lancaster, on Wednesday morning. Sergeant Dobson was only 20 years of age. He was educated at Christ Church School, and became a teacher of the Wesleyan Sunday School, Sulyard street, where he was held in high esteem. One of the first boy scouts in Lancaster, he was the first to win the King’s Badge. He joined the Terriers in September 1914, and was trained with the 2/5th King’s Own, from which he was drafted to France in May 1915. Promotion came quickly because of his efficient work, and on December 30th, 1915 he was awarded the Military Medal.”

More on Herbert Dobson

Boy Scouts on Imperial Service
Morecambe Visitor, February 1915

Accession Number : KO1926/20

…we publish the portraits of six members of the 4th Morecambe Boy Scouts who have enlisted in the 5th Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment for Imperial Service. Tom Edmondson is now at Sevenoaks, and is shortly proceeding on active service. The others are at present billeted at Blackpool with the 5th (Reserve) Battalion.

The names, reading from left to right are:-
Arthur Johnson, Victoria Street; Maurice Hodgson, Green Street; James Swain, 29 Beecham Street;
Front row:- Arthur Baron, Hampton Road, Sandylands; Tom Edmondson, Green Street; and Albert Hodgson, Green Street.

	Arthur Johnson, Victoria Street, Morecambe Born on 20th June 1898 Arthur worked as a fisherman before enlisting in World War One. He served as number 2890 with the 1st/5th King’s Own and later transferred to 166th Coy Machine Gun Corps. He returned home after the war and worked as a sailor on board the Duke of Argyll, later becoming mooring superintendent at Heysham Harbour. He died on 19 Jan 1965 and is buried in Torrisholme Cemetery.
	Arthur Baron, Hampton Road, Sandylands, Morecambe Possibly Number 2821 of the 5th Battalion, King’s Own.
	Maurice Hodgson, Green Street, Morecambe Employed by T M Walker as an iron monger he enlisted into the King’s Own in September 1914 he went overseas to join the 1st/5th King’s Own in April 1916. He held the rank of corporal. He was killed in action on 15th August 1916, age 19. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
	Tom Edmondson, Green Street, Morecambe Enlisting in September 1914 Thomas Edmondson went overseas to France with ‘C’ Company of the 5th King’s Own on 14th February 1915. Although wounded he was able to return to duty on 23rd April 1915. He was killed in action on 15th August 1915. He was son of Mr Edmondson, Contractor and Builder. He is buried in Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-le-Sec, France.
	James Swain, 29, Beecham Street, Morecambe Enlisted on 8th September 1914 into the 5th King’s Own.
	Albert Hodgson, Green Street, Morecambe Enlisted into the 5th King’s Own.

Private William Thompson MM

Accession Number : KO0784/124

William Thompson, pictured standing looking right, one of the original Lancaster Boy Scouts, served on the Western Front with the 1st/5th Battalion of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. After the war he joined Lancaster's police force and rose to be Chief Constable, holding that post until 1947 when the City Force was merged into the County Constabulary.

On display in the museum are his medals and sections of his account of his time in the trenches from 1915 onwards.