Gunner Percy Alex Dawson

Gunner (Army).

The son of William Dawson, of Glenelm, Quebec
From the Huntingdon Gleaner, December 28, 1918
In last week's Gleaner the death of Percy Dawson was recorded. The circumstances attending his death are particularly sad. He responded to the call for reinforcements last summer and was enrolled in the 72nd Queens Battery at Kingston. After a brief period of drill he with others was given what was called farmers leave, that he is they were excused from duty until after harvest, a leave that was later extended. On the armistice being declared he was notified to return to Kingston and get his discharge. In company with several other lads who have got the like order, he took the train buoyant and lighthearted, the first week of this month, expecting to be back before it ended. At Kingston he was examined and certified to be entitled to his discharge. The barracks was overcrowded and the young men were poorly housed. Whether that had anything to do with the number of them taking sick cannot be said. At any rate, three from the neighborhood of Athelston took ill of the flu. The one serious case was Percy's, which developed into pneumonia, dying in the hospital on the 14th. Instead of returning to his people with his discharge, his body came, in charge of his sergeant major. At the funeral his coffin was carried by his comrades in khaki. He was a bright, clean living youth, much liked by everybody. He was treasurer of the Athelston Red Cross and made himself helpful in many ways. His removal at the early age of 22 is regretted by the community.