David Dawnay


Sir David Dawnay was a British Army officer who became Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was also a British polo player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Military career

Born the son of Major the Hon. Hugh Dawnay, son of the 8th Viscount Downe and Lady Susan de la Poer Beresford, daughter of the 5th Marquess of Waterford and educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Dawnay was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1924 and then transferred to the 10th Royal Hussars later that year. He was part of the British polo team which won the silver medal in the 1936 Summer Olympics: he played both matches in the tournament, the first against Mexico and the final against Argentina.
Dawnay served in the Second World War as Commanding Officer of the 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment and then as Commanding Officer of the North Irish Horse in 1941. After serving as Second in Command of 23rd Armoured Brigade and then of 26th Armoured Brigade in 1943, he became Commander of 21st Army Tank Brigade in 1944 and then Commander of 26th Armoured Brigade in 1945.
After the War he became Commander of 86th Area based at Venice in Italy and then Commander of 2nd Armoured Brigade. He was made Deputy Commander of North Midland District in 1948, Commander of 8th Armoured Brigade in November 1948 and Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in January 1951. His last appointment was as 56th Armoured Division in March 1954 before retiring in April 1957.
In retirement he was Secretary to the Ascot Authority and Clerk of the Course at Ascot.

Family

In 1926 Dawnay married his cousin Lady Katharine Nora de la Poer Beresford, daughter of Henry de la Poer Beresford, 6th Marquess of Waterford and Lady Beatrix Frances Petty-FitzMaurice; they had two daughters and two sons. His son Major Hugh Dawnay was a well known polo player and respected coach whose son, Sebastian Dawnay, is also a professional polo player. Hugh's twin, Peter, married Caroline, daughter of Group Captain Nicolas Tindal-Carill-Worsley.