His chess problem compositions include 5,320 fairies, 885 directmates, 97 selfmates, and 138 endings.

120 of his problems have been awarded prizes and 211 honourably mentioned or otherwise commended.

He cooperated in chess composition with Charles Masson Fox.

Dawson was founder-editor (1922–1931) of The Problemist, the journal of the British Chess Problem Society.

At the same time he edited the problem pages of The British Chess Magazine (1931–1951).

From The Oxford Companion to Chess: His genius did not set him apart from his fellows; he could find time for casual visitors, and would explain his ideas to a tyro with patience, modesty, and kindness.

Although he won many tourney prizes much of his work was designed to encourage others, to enlarge the small band of fairy problem devotees.

Ga3# The last five titles were collected as Five Classics of Fairy Chess, Dover Publications (1973), ISBN 978-0-486-22910-2.