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Dave Dawson #1
Dave Dawson At Dunkirk
First book in the The War Adventure Series about Dave Dawson.
252 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1941
15 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
R. Sidney Bowen
139 books10 followersRobert Sidney Bowen, Jr. (1900 – April 11, 1977) was a World War I aviator, newspaper journalist, magazine editor and author who was born in Boston, Massachusetts and died of cancer in Honolulu, Hawaii at the age of 76. He is best known for his boys' series books written during World War II, the Dave Dawson War Adventure Series and the Red Randall Series. Robert Sidney Bowen wrote the Red Randall and Dave Dawson series under the name R. Sidney Bowen and other fiction (sports and westerns) under the pseudonym James Robert Richard.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 31, 2020
I liked the part where Dave said that his father slipped him a whole bunch of bombs and that stuff, like when he went to sleep, maybe that was Dave. I don't know if Dave said that.
December 28, 2020
Imagine the “Golly, gee whiz” language of the Hardy Boys in a war story and Dave Dawson at Dunkirk is what you get. I have never heard of the series but was somewhat curious when accidently when I came across it on Project Gutenberg. The series last about 15 books and was written during World War II, which probably made the books feel very contemporary when released.
Dave Dawson is a 17-year-old son of an American ambassador. When Germany invades Belgium, Dave’s father leaves for England and Dave begins to make his way to England but is pretty much waylaid into Belgium and finds himself captured by the Nazis. Along the way he meets up with Freddy Farmer, a volunteer British youth, who will be Dave’s “chum” throughout the book. Eventually these two will find their way to Dunkirk (hence the title) but have quite an adventure along the way.
This is a hard book to really judge as it was written for junior high kids during World War II. Dave and Freddy always manage to find themselves in sticky situations that they must escape from. Some of their escapes are very unbelievable. The Nazis in this book are bad, but not the evil incarnate that we know from history. They are also very incompetent, which allows Dave and Freddy to escape from their grasps. In fact, they tend to give off more of a pulp mustache twirling bad guy feel over any actual Nazis of World War II. It is somewhat sad that the real-life Nazis are a lot worse than a propaganda novel.
I enjoyed the novel for what it is: a young boy’s war novel that presents an air of optimism during a dark period in world history. The book feels very pulpy in its action and over-the-top near misses that Dave and Freddy go through. As a pulp juvenile novel, I wholeheartedly recommend it for its sense of fun and adventure. For a realistic adventure during the early days of World War II, it falls short. Just know what you are reading and it is an enjoyable read.
Dave Dawson is a 17-year-old son of an American ambassador. When Germany invades Belgium, Dave’s father leaves for England and Dave begins to make his way to England but is pretty much waylaid into Belgium and finds himself captured by the Nazis. Along the way he meets up with Freddy Farmer, a volunteer British youth, who will be Dave’s “chum” throughout the book. Eventually these two will find their way to Dunkirk (hence the title) but have quite an adventure along the way.
This is a hard book to really judge as it was written for junior high kids during World War II. Dave and Freddy always manage to find themselves in sticky situations that they must escape from. Some of their escapes are very unbelievable. The Nazis in this book are bad, but not the evil incarnate that we know from history. They are also very incompetent, which allows Dave and Freddy to escape from their grasps. In fact, they tend to give off more of a pulp mustache twirling bad guy feel over any actual Nazis of World War II. It is somewhat sad that the real-life Nazis are a lot worse than a propaganda novel.
I enjoyed the novel for what it is: a young boy’s war novel that presents an air of optimism during a dark period in world history. The book feels very pulpy in its action and over-the-top near misses that Dave and Freddy go through. As a pulp juvenile novel, I wholeheartedly recommend it for its sense of fun and adventure. For a realistic adventure during the early days of World War II, it falls short. Just know what you are reading and it is an enjoyable read.
November 30, 2011
"I’m reading Dave Dawson at Singapore.
I’m most of the way done.
Thanks for sending it.”
Eddie’s War
pg 95
I laughed when I read these words a few weeks ago because before I read Eddie’s War I had read another Dave Dawson book and was, by then, quite familiar with Robert Sydney Bowen’s World War II series for boys written during World War II.
Dave Dawson at Dunkirk is the first book in the series and begins with 17 year old Dave waking upon May 10, 1940 in a hotel in Paris, thinking about how lucky he is to be in war torn Europe with his dad and about the day’s planned trip to the “impenetrable” Maginot Line. But when he goes to find his dad, Dave discovers he is missing. Dave is soon informed that his dad has gone to England on government business because Hitler’s forces had just invaded France. A Lieutenant in the French Army is to drive Dave north to Calais, where he is supposed to catch a boat to Dover, England and safety.
But the road out of Paris is crowded with French refugees trying to escape the advancing Nazis and the going is slow. Suddenly, a swarm of Nazi planes start shooting at the people on the road, and next thing Dave knows, he is waking up under a tree and it is night. As he tries to puzzle things out, Dave sees two headlights and runs out to the center of the road to flag down the approaching vehicle.
The vehicle is an ambulance, driving by a member of the British Volunteer Ambulance Service named Freddy Farmer, 16. Freddy offers Dave a ride and naturally the two boys become fast friends. But they don’t get very far when they are arrested as spies by the Germans. Seems they had unknowingly crossed from France into a Nazi occupied area of Belgium. Their captors continuously interrogate, but when they offer no information, the Colonel in charge has them brought to his office where threatens to have them shot unless they give him useful information. Fortuitously, Dave and Freddy see a military map pull of different colored pins in the Colonel’s office and think it might be important to the Allies.
This spurs Dave to finally figure out how to escape. They manage to pull of a very convoluted getaway, getting far enough away to be able to sleep in a wood. But when they awake, they discover that a farmhouse in the area is full of Nazis. While they are watching, a small plane lands in the farm’s fields. This give Dave the idea to escape by stealing the plane, and he conveniently has already had flying lessons. Once again, Dave and Freddy manage to foil the Nazis as they make off with the plane.
But when the Belgian solders see the Swastika on the plane’s wings, they start shooting at it. Dave manages to crash land the plane and the soldiers rush out to arrest them. The Belgians, after hearing their story, decide Dave and Freddy's arrest by the Germans has indeed yielded valuable information and they all leave for the Belgian army’s new headquarters, to tell them what they know. Naturally, they don’t get far when they hit Nazi land mines in the road.
Eight days later, Dave wakes up in a British military hospital in Lille, France. At first, no one believes their story, but their escape had already become the stuff of legend and they were finally recognized. The Belgian High Command had notified the British High Command about the boys and the chief of British Staff, General Caldwell, comes to visit and hear their important information.
The boys are still at the military hospital when the Belgians surrender to the Germans and they learn that the patients at Lille must be evacuated as the German advance towards them. Dave and Freddy are recruited to drive an ambulance to a base hospital at St. Omer, but on the road they are redirected. The evacuated injured soldiers are to be taken by rail to Dunkirk where they will be evacuated again. After they load the wounded onto the train, Dave and Freddy are about to board, when Germans planes could be heard. The train pulls out, leaving the boys and several hundred other behind.
Dave and Freddy find a cave and they both fall asleep, despite the explosions from the German bombs. The next morning they discover the train tracks are destroyed, but decide to follow what is left of them in order to get to Dunkirk.
As they approach Dunkirk, they are stopp by a British soldier, but once again, their reputation has preceded them and he knows exactly who they are. The small boat rescue was underway, and as they wait their turn to board a boat, the boys notice as motorboat drifting after being hit by German planes. They quickly swim out to it and found the boat OK, but the owner is dead. Just as they are about to collect men from the beach, a U-Boat torpedoes a ship full of soldiers and they turn the motorboat in that direction to save some of them from that burning, sinking ship. And of all people, it is General Caldwell they pull out of the water. He tells them that the last of the British Army was at that moment being picked up and it was time to head back to England.
Robert Sidney Bowen had some experience with war time flying. He was actually a World War I flying ace, having shot down 8 enemy planes. This and an incredible imagination certainly qualified him for writing the Dave Dawson series, as well as the Red Randall series, begun in 1944. Altogether, Dave Dawson and Freddy Farmer share 15 war time adventures in both Europe and the Pacific, though Freddy never gets his name in any of the titles, consigning him to mere sidekick status.
Dave Dawson at Dunkirk is neither realistic (what mother would allow her 17 year old son to go to France at that time?) nor plausible, but readers didn’t demand that, they wanted adventure and they got adventure. My personal favorite thing about this book was Bowen's use the device of unconsciousness in order not to have to explain how some things happen. How did Dave end up in Belgium and how did Dave and Freddy end up in the British Military hospital? Your guess is as good as mine. And how did they survive their harrowingly dangerous adventures? Lady Luck! Apparently these conveniences did not bother their fans, who loved reading their adventures.
This book is recommended for readers 10 and up
This book was downloaded free from Project Gutenberg and you can download and read it, too.
I’m most of the way done.
Thanks for sending it.”
Eddie’s War
pg 95
I laughed when I read these words a few weeks ago because before I read Eddie’s War I had read another Dave Dawson book and was, by then, quite familiar with Robert Sydney Bowen’s World War II series for boys written during World War II.
Dave Dawson at Dunkirk is the first book in the series and begins with 17 year old Dave waking upon May 10, 1940 in a hotel in Paris, thinking about how lucky he is to be in war torn Europe with his dad and about the day’s planned trip to the “impenetrable” Maginot Line. But when he goes to find his dad, Dave discovers he is missing. Dave is soon informed that his dad has gone to England on government business because Hitler’s forces had just invaded France. A Lieutenant in the French Army is to drive Dave north to Calais, where he is supposed to catch a boat to Dover, England and safety.
But the road out of Paris is crowded with French refugees trying to escape the advancing Nazis and the going is slow. Suddenly, a swarm of Nazi planes start shooting at the people on the road, and next thing Dave knows, he is waking up under a tree and it is night. As he tries to puzzle things out, Dave sees two headlights and runs out to the center of the road to flag down the approaching vehicle.
The vehicle is an ambulance, driving by a member of the British Volunteer Ambulance Service named Freddy Farmer, 16. Freddy offers Dave a ride and naturally the two boys become fast friends. But they don’t get very far when they are arrested as spies by the Germans. Seems they had unknowingly crossed from France into a Nazi occupied area of Belgium. Their captors continuously interrogate, but when they offer no information, the Colonel in charge has them brought to his office where threatens to have them shot unless they give him useful information. Fortuitously, Dave and Freddy see a military map pull of different colored pins in the Colonel’s office and think it might be important to the Allies.
This spurs Dave to finally figure out how to escape. They manage to pull of a very convoluted getaway, getting far enough away to be able to sleep in a wood. But when they awake, they discover that a farmhouse in the area is full of Nazis. While they are watching, a small plane lands in the farm’s fields. This give Dave the idea to escape by stealing the plane, and he conveniently has already had flying lessons. Once again, Dave and Freddy manage to foil the Nazis as they make off with the plane.
But when the Belgian solders see the Swastika on the plane’s wings, they start shooting at it. Dave manages to crash land the plane and the soldiers rush out to arrest them. The Belgians, after hearing their story, decide Dave and Freddy's arrest by the Germans has indeed yielded valuable information and they all leave for the Belgian army’s new headquarters, to tell them what they know. Naturally, they don’t get far when they hit Nazi land mines in the road.
Eight days later, Dave wakes up in a British military hospital in Lille, France. At first, no one believes their story, but their escape had already become the stuff of legend and they were finally recognized. The Belgian High Command had notified the British High Command about the boys and the chief of British Staff, General Caldwell, comes to visit and hear their important information.
The boys are still at the military hospital when the Belgians surrender to the Germans and they learn that the patients at Lille must be evacuated as the German advance towards them. Dave and Freddy are recruited to drive an ambulance to a base hospital at St. Omer, but on the road they are redirected. The evacuated injured soldiers are to be taken by rail to Dunkirk where they will be evacuated again. After they load the wounded onto the train, Dave and Freddy are about to board, when Germans planes could be heard. The train pulls out, leaving the boys and several hundred other behind.
Dave and Freddy find a cave and they both fall asleep, despite the explosions from the German bombs. The next morning they discover the train tracks are destroyed, but decide to follow what is left of them in order to get to Dunkirk.
As they approach Dunkirk, they are stopp by a British soldier, but once again, their reputation has preceded them and he knows exactly who they are. The small boat rescue was underway, and as they wait their turn to board a boat, the boys notice as motorboat drifting after being hit by German planes. They quickly swim out to it and found the boat OK, but the owner is dead. Just as they are about to collect men from the beach, a U-Boat torpedoes a ship full of soldiers and they turn the motorboat in that direction to save some of them from that burning, sinking ship. And of all people, it is General Caldwell they pull out of the water. He tells them that the last of the British Army was at that moment being picked up and it was time to head back to England.
Robert Sidney Bowen had some experience with war time flying. He was actually a World War I flying ace, having shot down 8 enemy planes. This and an incredible imagination certainly qualified him for writing the Dave Dawson series, as well as the Red Randall series, begun in 1944. Altogether, Dave Dawson and Freddy Farmer share 15 war time adventures in both Europe and the Pacific, though Freddy never gets his name in any of the titles, consigning him to mere sidekick status.
Dave Dawson at Dunkirk is neither realistic (what mother would allow her 17 year old son to go to France at that time?) nor plausible, but readers didn’t demand that, they wanted adventure and they got adventure. My personal favorite thing about this book was Bowen's use the device of unconsciousness in order not to have to explain how some things happen. How did Dave end up in Belgium and how did Dave and Freddy end up in the British Military hospital? Your guess is as good as mine. And how did they survive their harrowingly dangerous adventures? Lady Luck! Apparently these conveniences did not bother their fans, who loved reading their adventures.
This book is recommended for readers 10 and up
This book was downloaded free from Project Gutenberg and you can download and read it, too.
October 12, 2020
I read as many of the "Dave Dawson" books about 65 years ago when I was about 11 and building plastic model airplanes. I have picked up a few of them at Thrift stores over the years and decided to try one again. Since I had number one in the series, I started there. Adventure, escapes, and totally unbelievable, but fun. I don't know how Dave and his English friend, Freddy Farmer, can top this ending -- meeting the King after only one book. Fun memories.
November 23, 2019
Friend read these as a young man. Then served his country for many years as a Marine. Thought I would enjoy the easy read and the words that inspired my friend to serve.
Fun and simple. Just what is needed at times.
Sometimes a look at the past makes today and tomorrow a bit more manageable.
Fun and simple. Just what is needed at times.
Sometimes a look at the past makes today and tomorrow a bit more manageable.
Read
July 8, 2023more enjoyable than I expected. This had 17 year old Dave trying to get out of Europe during the German push into Paris. He fights behind the line with his buddy Freddy and then they escape in Dunkirk. IT is a crazy thing where we get the visciousness of war but written for boys. Hardy Boys go to war. But it kept it going and I like it
May 5, 2021
This book gave a great look into the battle at Dunkirk and how many lives were lost but also how many were saved. This book was perfect for me because it was focused for kids so therefore making it not as violet as the other books that might have been based on this war.
January 17, 2025
Hardy Boys in WWII. A boy’s adventure series, and this one was written in 1941, so interesting to think about it in the context of the then-ongoing war.
April 28, 2015
Good middle-grade and up story about the near-loss of the British Army trapped on the beach of Dunkirk, which loss would have probably broken England's back leading to defeat by the Nazi blitzkrieg, requiring America to enter the war to fight Germany and Japan alone. Main characters are Dave and his friend Freddy Farmer whom we've met in the prior, first book in the series: Dave Dawson and the RAF.
April 6, 2015
Light war fiction, with the characters doing unbelievable things, but I quite like them, and the characters are such that make you feel you really know them, by the end of the books and you feel sorry to leave!
June 14, 2011
I loved it!
March 16, 2016
A good child's book
It was inspirational for even one well in to his eighties. A bit of the more than can believable, but OK.
It was inspirational for even one well in to his eighties. A bit of the more than can believable, but OK.
April 3, 2020
An adventurous inspiring fictional story set in the WWII era. A great book to read with your little young adults. It will definitely stir up a lot of curiosity in them!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews