Hamish Dawson

Education

Dawson was educated at Glasgow Academy, Strathallan School in Perthshire and Queens College, Oxford.

Career

He was a talented all-round sportsman, particularly swimming, cricket and rugby. Dawson received a blue for Oxford University Reconstruction Finance Corporation, playing against Cambridge University Reconstruction Finance Corporation in the 1943-1944 season. In 1943 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, initially serving as a midshipman based at HMS King Alfred and then transferring to HMS Ulysses (R69) in the British Pacific Fleet.

Dawson then served as a sub-lieutenant on a minesweeper in Hong Kong until December 1946.

After the war, he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1948 and played club rugby for Glasgow Academicals Reconstruction Finance Corporation, London Scottish Football Club and the Barbarians Football Club.

Dawson made his debut for Scotland in a 16-7 loss to Australia at Murrayfield during their 1947-1948 tour of Great Britain, one of eight new Scotland caps that day. His first three caps were played at lock, which included a 9-8 victory over France at Murrayfield and a 14-0 loss to Wales in Cardiff in the 1948 Five Nations Championship.

Dawson"s next seventeen caps were played at prop starting with an 8-0 victory over France in the 1949 Five Nations Championship in Paris. He played all four matches in the 1950 Five Nations Championship, starting with a third consecutive victory over France, 8-5 in Edinburgh.

Scotland lost 12-0 to Wales and 21-0 to Ireland in Cardiff and Dublin respectively.

In 1951 Dawson played on five occasions for Scotland, starting with a 14-12 loss to France in Paris. Dawson also played in the 5-3 defeat to England at Twickenham. Scotland avoiding the 1951 Five Nations Championship wooden spoon on points difference.

Later that year Scotland suffered a record 44-0 loss to South Africa at Murrayfield, with South Africa losing only once on their 31-game 1951-1952 rugby tour.

Dawson played in all four matches of the 1952 Five Nations Championship. Scotland losing all four matches: 13-11 to France in Edinburgh, 11-0 to Wales in Cardiff, 12-8 to Ireland in Dublin and 19-3 to England at Murrayfield.

Dawson played his last match for Scotland against England at Twickenham in a 26-8 loss in the 1953 Five Nations Championship, Scotland receiving the "wooden spoon" for the second consecutive year.

Achievements

• This was followed by a 6-5 win over Wales at Murrayfield and a 13-3 defeat to Ireland at the same venue. Regaining some pride with a 13-11 win against England at Murrayfield. On 3 February, he scored his only points for Scotland with a try in a 19-0 win against Wales at Murrayfield. Three weeks later Scotland lost narrowly to Ireland, 6-5 in Edinburgh, starting a run of 17 consecutive matches without a win, lasting until 1955.