DAVIDSON, Thomas
| Service Number: | 818 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 March 1916, Hobart |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 40th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Campbell Town, Tasmania, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Campbell Town, Northern Midlands, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Memorials: | Campbell Town Kirklands Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, Campbell Town Roll of Honour, Campbell Town St Andrew's Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, Campbell Town St Luke's Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 818, 40th Infantry Battalion, Hobart | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 818, 40th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
| 31 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 818, 40th Infantry Battalion, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, Battle of Messines, Miltary Medal awarded for action at Snipers Outpost | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 818, 40th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines | |
| 6 Jul 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 40th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 Aug 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 818, Third Ypres, Gun shot wounds to right thigh and arm. | |
| 27 May 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 818, 40th Infantry Battalion, Returned to Australia on 27 May 1919 | |
| 13 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 818, 40th Infantry Battalion, Departed UK 27/05/19 on Rio Pardo. Arrived Hobart 21/07/19. Discharged as medically unfit on 13/09/19. |
Why 'Jonk'........................
Thomas Davidson - who went by [and enjoyed] the nick-name "Jonk" - returned to Campbell Town in 1919. He then wed Alice
Lockett and together they produced 11 children who all grew strong and healthy. The first four children born were Sylvia, Laurence
Olive (Ollie) and Thomas [who went by his second name of Rex].
His nick name even featured in his will- issued in June 1975 - in which he bequeathed his estate to his children.
I was given a copy of this will by my father - the above mentioned Laurence [Laurie] Davidson.
My earliest memory of my grandfather goes back to 1951 when I was 3 years old. Over the next decade I spent several weeks of school holidays with my grand parents and attended several birthday / wedding type celebrations. Everybody called him "Jonk". His wife, their children, their spouses, the neighbours, members of the Campbell Town rifle club, the footy club and the patrons at the pub in High St. Campbell Town.
The use of the nickname "Jonk" was so prevalent that I [and I assume many others] thought that it was his actual name! It seems to be a family tradition to bestow the name of Thomas on a son and then ban the use of it except for official documents. His second son never used the name Thomas - he always went by Rex. My older brother was named Thomas Anthony and has always been known as Tony.
So entrenched was the use of the nick-name "Jonk" to identify my grandfather it was used in an obituary for one of his sons who died in April 2019 - some 30 years after Jonk died.
In my 71 years I have never heard of any body else called 'Jonk'. At a recent funeral I was told that the nick-name originated with a chap who either had a speech impairment [or mental impairment issues]. Rather than correct the man [perhaps they tried] the nick-name Jonk was embraced by all and sundry - including Jonk!
Terry Davidson May 2019
Submitted 21 May 2019 by Steve Larkins
Biography contributed by Steve Larkins
See the story of 'Jonk' his nickname
Biography contributed by Terry Davidson
Click images to start slideshow.