Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daniel was the son of Charles H DAVIS & Sarah Ann LAMBERT and was born on the 13th of August 1880 in Bowden, SA.

His father was born in 1836 in Wiltshire, England.
His mother was born in 1842 in England.

Daniel was the fifth child born into this family of 7 children.

His parents and elder 4 siblings had arrived in South Australia on board the Lady Joycelyn on the 11th of October 1876 and his father was listed as a labourer.

When Daniel was 6 months old his father was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital on the 14th of February 1881 and had his leg amputated and was then admitted into Grange House, Grange.

After he recovered he became a confectioner and the family moved to Milner Street, Hindmarsh where they had a confectionery shop.

After leaving school Daniel gained employment as a labourer and when his father died in 1913 they moved to Port Road Hindmarsh, where his brother William owned a confectionary shop.

In 1914 Daniel joined the Citizen Force and attended garrison duty for 3 years.

His brother James enlisted into the AIF on the 5th of February 1917 and was posted to the Medical Corps (63949).

At the age of 36, Daniel enlisted into the AIF on the 14th of February 1917 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 3641 and posted to B Company in Mitcham Camp.
He transferred to the 48th Battalion, 10th Reinforcements and embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A16 Port Melbourne on the 16th of July 1917.

He trained in England before proceeding to France where he served for 2 years.

Daniel embarked from England on the 1st of July 1919 on board HT Frankfurt and disembarked in Adelaide on the 17th of August.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 17th of September 1919.

Daniel moved back to his family and gained employment as a labourer. They then moved to 4 Cross Street, West Hindmarsh where William purchased a home.
His mother died at their residence on the 2nd of March 1922 and they buried her in the Cheltenham Cemetery with their father.

By 1939 Daniel was living at 26 Albemarle Street, West Hindmarsh with his brother’s William and James’s wife Martha.

William died on the 29th of March 1955 and Daniel buried him in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Lower, Y25.
Daniel remained in the home and died on the 13th of November 1958 and was buried 2 days later in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Lower, Y25, with his brother William.

Military

At the age of 36, Daniel enlisted into the AIF on the 14th of February 1917 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 3641 and posted to B Company in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of Cross Street, West Hindmarsh, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of April he was posted to the 43rd Battalion, 7th Reinforcements and then on the 16th of June he was transferred to the 48th Battalion, 10th Reinforcements.

Daniel embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A16 Port Melbourne on the 16th of July 1917, disembarked in Liverpool, England on the 16th of September and marched into the 12th Training Battalion in Codford.
On the 20th of November Daniel went AWOL from training for 2 days and was awarded 3 days forfeited pay.

Daniel spent Christmas 1917 in England before proceeding to France on the 8th of January 1918 and was taken on strength with the 48th Battalion on the 21st at Cavanagh Camp, near La Clyte.
Here they were engaged in fatigue parties and building protection around the stables to keep bomb fragments off.

They relieved the 13th Battalion in Crater Dugouts on the 7th of February and after 7 days here they relieved the 47th Battalion at White Chateau, near Hollebeke.
They were then relieved on the 20th and moved to Murrumbidgee Camp.
After a few weeks here in training they marched to billets at Meteren on the 28th of February for further training.

In March, following the collapse of Russia, the Germans launched the "Spring Offensive", a major operation on the Western Front. As the Allies were pushed back, the 48th Battalion undertook a defensive role around Dernancourt, blocking the Amiens Road, before joining the final Allied offensive around Amiens in August.

On the 3rd of August he went AWOL for 4 days and was warded 16 days forfeited pay.

Daniel and his Battalion were then withdrawn from the line in mid-September and did not see action again before the war ended on the 11th of November 1918.
When the Armistice was signed they were located at Revelles in training and by the end of November they had moved to Aves-Nelles.
Daniel’s last Christmas away from family and friends was spent at Waulsort where they remained for January 1919.

At the end of February they moved to Nalinnes where they spent March in the snow playing inter Battalion sports and attended lectures in preparation for their return to Australia. Slowly the Battalion numbers started to dwindle as men started to march out.

On the 31st of March the remainder of the Battalion was reorganised as one Company, which was then know as the 48th Company and the 48th Battalion was disbanded.
Daniel embarked to England and marched into Hurdcott Camp awaiting his embarkation home to Australia.

Daniel embarked from England on the 1st of July 1919 on board HT Frankfurt and disembarked in Adelaide on the 17th of August.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 17th of September 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.