DAVIDSON, William John Fraser
| Service Numbers: | 68, 14490 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 1st Australian Wireless Squadron |
| Born: | Oately, Hurstville - New South Wales, Australia, 26 May 1897 |
| Home Town: | Oatley, Hurstville, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Technical High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Old Age, 21 June 1996, aged 99 years, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW |
| Memorials: | Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 68, 1st Divisional Signal Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Sapper, 68, 1st Divisional Signal Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Karroo embarkation_ship_number: A10 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Sapper, 68, 1st Divisional Signal Company, HMAT Karroo, Melbourne | |
| 3 Jul 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 14490, 1st Australian Wireless Squadron | |
| 25 Jul 1916: | Involvement Driver, 14490, 1st Australian Wireless Squadron, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Malwa embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 25 Jul 1916: | Embarked Driver, 14490, 1st Australian Wireless Squadron, RMS Malwa, Melbourne |
Help us honour William John Fraser Davidson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sydney Technical High School
Biography for SRP William John Fraser Davidson - Service Number: 68
SRP William John Fraser Davidson was born in Oatley, Hurstville, Australia, on May 26th 1897(1).Davidson’s father was William Davidson and his mother was Annie Davidson. William Davidson worked as a gas engineer fixing, repairing and maintaining gas systems which produced heat and light for people. There is no information on what his mother Annie Davidson did but it was common for women to take care of the household and care for the family. William John Fraser Davidson attended Sydney Technical School in the late 1910’s, graduating 4 years later and working as a clerk for E.G.H Hogg, a Sydney-based firm involved in the commercial sector(2).
Davidson enlisted on 17th August 1914, embarking for war and leaving Australia on the 30th September 1916 as reinforcements for the Mesopotamian campaign. Davidson was a driver in the 1st Divisional Signal Company and later became a Sapper for the 1st Australian Wireless Squadron. Davidson participated in several significant battles during World War 1, his most prominent including the Battle of Marne(1914) at northeastern France, Gallipoli Campaign (1915-1916) at Ottoman, Turkey and the Battle of Verdun (1916) at the western front in France(3).In the battle of Marne, Davidson was called in as general reinforcements. His role as a driver would have included transporting soldiers and other authorities, equipment and other heavy supplies in military vehicles. Davidson would find himself making necessary repairs and maintenance checks regularly. His role as a driver was vital to make sure that the 1st Australian Wireless Squadron could move around efficiently and the mobility allowed the military to make effective communication(4). Davidson John Fraser Davidson was promoted to a Sapper which he fought in the Gallipoli Campaign and the Battle of Verdun. A sapper is a military engineer, which tells us that Davidson would have been digging up trenches and building other defensive structures. As Davidson was part of the 1st Australian Wireless Squadron he would have also been maintaining and installing wireless communication devices, such as the radio, at their base to help transmit battlefield information and coordinate military attacks which were vital to find success in the war(5). Davidson’s roles as a driver and sapper in the 1st Australian Wireless Squadron was an important pillar of support for the military.
Unfortunately, he passed away on 21st June 1996, commemorated at Northern Suburbs Crematorium(6). William John Fraser Davidson’s life is a testament to his dedication, service and resilience. Davidson’s legacy is one of honour and sacrifice, reflecting a life devoted to duty and the service of his country.
References
Australian War Memorial
Sydney Technical Australian Wooden War Memorial.
InfoPlease Encyclopedia
Australian War Memorial
Ibid.
AIF UNSW Canberra
Bibliography
National Archives Australia - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3491668&isAv=N
Australian War Memorial - https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/281321
AIF UNSW Canberra - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=73212
Info Please Encyclopedia - https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/modern-europe/wars-battles/world-war-i/from-the-marne-to-verdun
Trove - https://trove.nla.gov.au/search/category/websites?keyword=William%20John%20Fraser%20DAVIDSON
Australian Defence - https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/medals/imperial-awards/world-war-one/british-war-medal-1914-20
Book titled “Death’s Men Soldiers of the great War”
Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive