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William’s early days were spent in the mining town of Broken Hill where he was the youngest son and last born on the 27th May 1913 to Ellen (Nellie) Jane Sullivan and Peter Davidson. Prior to William’s arrival, the family had ten children, but the first four died in early childhood. The oldest and first-born son was Robert Leslie Herbert who arrived and died in 1898. Sadly, the next three were also not to survive. They were Iris Helen who died in her first year and was buried at Broken Hill, Arthur Seth, again died in less than a year and buried at White Cliffs and Norman who died aged one at Wilcannia. The next five children all survived. They were Francis Edward, Peter, George, Norma Francis, John (Jack) Fowler and then William. Of those, three were to later enlist to serve in WWII.
Peter and the family travelled for work opportunities, spending time initially Wilcannia on the Darling River, a strong sheep farming country set up by pastoralists. They then moved to Broken Hill where the family became heavily involved in the Methodist Church, particularly Norma who was gifted with a delightful singing voice.
The children attended the local Silverton School, then North School where William and John were both placed in the top group of their year six class.
William, known as Bill, was eighteen and working as a labourer when his father died in the Adelaide Hospital early in April ’32. The family placed an announcement in the Barrier Miner. ‘DAVIDSON-On April 5, at Adelaide Hospital, Peter (late of Broken Hill and Wilcannia), dearly beloved husband of Nellie, and father of Frank, Peter, George, Jack and Bill (of Cudlee Creek), Norma and Mrs. J. H. Smith (of Broken Hill).’ Their mother, on behalf of the family placed a memorial to Peter in the following years on the anniversary of his death.
Barrier Miner Thursday 5 April 1934, DAVIDSON.—In loving memory of our dear husband and father (Peter), who passed away in the Adelaide Hospital, April 5, 1932. Not just to-day but every day. In silence we remember. Sadly missed by his wife and family.
Barrier Miner Friday 5 April 1935, DAVIDSON.-In loving memory of our dear husband and father ( Peter), who passed away in the Adelaide Hospital on April 5, 1932. Sweetly he is sleeping Free from suffering, free from pain. In God's tender arms we leave him Till we meet again. Inserted by his loving wife (Nellie) and family.

William met Kathleen Copeland in Broken Hill. She had previously lived in Mitcham, a suburb of Adelaide where, as a fifteen-year-old, she headed off on an adventure that went wrong. This was widely reported, including in Broken Hill. ‘MISSING POUCE DISCOVER TWO Adelaide, Thursday. 'We are cold and hungry and have not got a penny." This was the pitiful assertion made over the telephone last night to the women police by Kathleen Copeland (15), who with a girl companion aged 18 years, left home on Sunday night on a girlish escapade. They walked to Clarendon, thence to Brighton and Glenelg, sleeping out two nights. Cold rain last night effectually damped their remaining courage, and they borrowed two-pence and telephoned the police who made arrangements to feed them and restore them to their homes.’

In later years, Kathleen’s family moved to Broken Hill where she met Bill. In April ’39, the two announced their wedding in the Barrier Miner. ‘KATHLEEN DAWN, youngest daughter of Mrs. H. Copeland, of Wyman-street, will be married lo William Victor, youngest son of Mrs. P. Davidson, of Thomas-lane, at the Oxide-street Methodist Church on Saturday, April 8, at 4.30 p.m.’ A joyous photo appeared in the newspaper the following Monday and in a later edition.
‘The Oxide-street Methodist Church was attractively decorated with varying shades of pink flowers for the wedding of Miss Kathleen Copeland and Mr. William Davidson, which was solemnised at 4.30 p.m. on Easter Saturday.
The bride is the youngest daughter of Mrs. H. Copeland, and the late Mr. W. Copeland, -formerly of Mitcham, South Australia. She was given away by her cousin. Mr. J. Morrison, and wore a graceful gown of white embossed satin made with a long and wide train. A halo of orange blossom and pearls held her flowing net veil and she carried-a sheaf of white flowers.
The two bridesmaids. Misses Marjorie and Hilda Tischer were frocked alike in soft green satin and carried pink bouquets to match the wreaths of tiny pink flowers worn on their hair.
‘Valda Smith, niece of the bride, was the flower girl. Her frock was of apricot crinkled georgette. She had flowers in her hair and held a basket of carnations, roses and Easter daisies. Mr. Peter Davidson (best man) and Mr. S. Brown (groomsman) attended the groom, who is the youngest son of Mrs. and the late P. Davidson, of Thomas-lane.
A family reception was held at the home of the-bridegroom's mother, whose black gown was touched with fawn.’

With the outbreak of WWII, four of the brothers volunteered to enlist. 28-year-old John Fowler, a motor mechanic, was the first on the 20th April ’40. He was placed in the 2/2 Reserve Motor Transport Company as SX2572. He arrived in Singapore on the 1st March the following year.
Bill was the next to attempt to enlist, but in May ’40 the Barrier Miner advised that the ‘manpower Officer (Capt. J; R. Moore, A.F.C.) rejected a number of locals, miners and wool growers, an accountant and company director. William Victor Davidson, miner, was amongst this group. Undeterred, Bill then travelled to Adelaide where he was successful in enlisting as the third of the brothers.
In the meantime, his 37-year-old brother, Francis (Frank) was the second of the brothers to enlist. He had been working as a rigger in the mining industry in Western Australia but on the 25th June ‘41became WX14641in the Workshop AEME then 3 Australian Landing Craft. He served in the Middle East for six months from September ’41 until March ’42. He also served in New Guinea from September ’44 until December ’45, at similar times to Bill.
In a cruel twist, the first son and child of Bill and Kathleen, William John, died in July ’41. He was buried in the Broken Hill Cemetery, where later his mother would also be buried.
28-year-old Bill, working as a labourer, eventually became the third of the brothers to enlist on the 8th December ’41 in Adelaide, naming his wife, Kathleen Dawn as his next of kin. By that stage, Bill’s brother, John had arrived in Singapore on the 1st March and was officially reported as missing the following February.
An older brother, Peter also served with the Broken Hill Detached Company 6th Battalion as S76449 on the 13th April, ’42. He was eventually discharged when his Battalion was disbanded in October, ’45.
Bill’s early Army days were spent at Warradale where he undertook a Pioneer’s Course until the end of July ’42 when he was officially placed in the 2/48th Battalion reinforcements. By August had embarked for the Middle East, arriving in October that year. Brief time was spent in a Staging Camp before Bill joined his battalion. He returned uninjured to Australia via Melbourne in March ’43 and thence to South Australia for well-earned leave.
Training in Queensland followed to prepare the 2/48th Battalion to face a very different enemy in the tropical conditions of New Guinea. Unfortunately, during this time Bill developed scabies in May but by August had left Cairns for Milne Bay. News then filtered through that Bill’s brother, John was a Prisoner of War in October ’43. Within months, Bill was wounded in action in November with a gunshot wound to the left of his forehead which caused ‘blast concussion’ – a sub conjunctival haemorrhage.
In a massive, frontal fight for Coconut Ridge. Bill’s Company faced machine gun fire on the ground and snipers hidden in the trees as they attempted to take control of Fougasse Corner on the 19th November ‘43. There, the soldiers faced sporadic shelling, including on a weapons pit. The Japanese were well dug in, with well camouflaged bunkers. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described how a mixture of petrol and diesel, known as fou, was created to use on enemy positions. When electrically fired, the mixture covered the enemy positions with smoke, with the intention it would burn for five to six minutes. However the time was much shorter, but the attack still went ahead. Glenn recorded that ‘Privates Thomas L. Woodall SX7212, C. Sydney Goodyear SX10347, Clyde R. Sellars SX7369, Eric K. Reynolds, Arnold C. Kerber and Douglas Hammond WX9845 all died through enemy action on this 19th November, sixteen others receiving wounds.’ This included Bill.
The December 9th ’43 issue of the Chronicle gave the names of those from the 2/48th who were also involved. Killed In Action.— SX7651 Pte. Ronald G. Bowen. Burra; SX12975 Pte. Arnold C. Kerber. Mount Torrens; SX13763 Pte. Eric K. Reynolds, Novar Gardens. Wounded In Action.— SX6837 L-Sgt. Dean H. Adams. Forestville; SX7093 Lt/Sgt. Norman L. Badman, Pinnaroo; SX15377 Pte. William V. Davidson. Mitcham; SX7629 Pte. Charles H. Hewitt. Tumby Bay: SX17852 Pte. Douglas C. Maher. Renmark; SX7292 Pte. Angus J. McMahon, Mitcham; SX17621 Pte. Clarence T. Pickett. Ardrossan; SX7690 Pte. Fredrick. C. Serle, Robe. Seriously Ill.— SX7885 Lt. Angus C. Dodd, Glenelg.
While recuperating, Bill then contracted Meningitis in January with his condition fluctuating and him then being evacuated on a hospital ship back to Australia and thence to Melbourne by train for more treatment. This was ongoing from the meningitis, malaria and ulcerative gingivitis plus his blast concussion.
By the end of May ’44 Bill was given an initial diagnosis of malaria and then the development of a condition where the skin on the bridge of his nose thickened, (hyperkeratosis) probably caused by the continuous exposure to the sun. He returned to South Australia to be reallocated.
By August that year, Bill had successfully undertaken an eleven-month Driver Motor Transport course for which he qualified with distinction, scoring 82% for his written assessment and 87% for his practical. The written comment was attestation of the quality of Bill’s work and his attitude. ‘An excellent worker and very attentive. Took every opportunity to further his knowledge. A good type.’ Unfortunately, malaria continued to revisit Bill, causing him to spend more time in hospital over December ’44 before he was able to rejoin his unit. Just two months later, Bill was diagnosed with the extremely painful condition of Shingles, spending a further month receiving treatment. His service and leadership was soon recognised with a promotion to Corporal in October ’45 as part of the Australian Ordinance Vehicle Section.
By this time, the 24th February ’45 Bill’s parents had learned of the tragic death of their son, John almost two years earlier. This was confirmed on the 23rd May. Tragically, John had died of ‘tropical ulcers and dysentery’ at the hands of his captors in Burma on the 4th October ’43. He was reburied at Thanbyuzayat Cemetery Plot A7 Row C Grave 18. He now rests with so many of his fellow soldiers who also died unnecessarily at the hands of their captors, from very treatable conditions. John’s family chose the words HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE...EVER REMEMBERED for his headstone.

The Barrier Miner on the 27th February ’45 shared the distressing news.’ JOHN DAVIDSON Pte. John Davidson died of a tropical illness on October 4, 1943, according to advice received by his mother Mrs. J. H. Smith, of 10O Cornish Street. Pte. Davidson, who was 34 and unmarried, enlisted in Broken Hill early in 1940. He was taken prisoner in Malaya before the fall of Singapore. The news came as a great shock to his mother, as she had received two cards from a prison camp at Moulmein, Thailand, since the date, of his death. Both cards, the more recent of which was dated 1944 had said he was well and happy.’

The family placed a tribute in the Barrier Daily Truth on the 3rd March ’45. ‘DAVIDSON.—On the 4th October, 1943, at Moulmein Prison Camp, SX2572 Private John Fowler, dearly beloved Son of Mrs. and the late Mr. P. Davidson, loving brother of Frank, Peter, George, Bill and Norma. His duty nobly done.’
Again, the following year a further tribute was also placed. ‘DAVIDSON— In loving memory of our dear son and brother SX2572 Pte. J; F. (Jock).' who passed away P.O.W., Burma, May 10. 1944 sadly missed by his loving mother, brothers and sister.

1945 also brought some joy with the arrival of Bill and Kathleen’s second child, a daughter, Kaye Dawn in November before Bill was finally discharged on the 12th February ’46. Bill returned to work at Broken Hill in the Zinc Corporation, but unfortunately incurred a peace time injury to the finger on his left hand. Tragedy struck the following year with the death of Bill’s wife, Kathleen in April ’48 leaving Bill and the two children, Donald and Kaye to mourn her loss, as did all the extended family. She was buried in the Methodist Cemetery at Broken Hill.
Barrier Daily Truth Friday 2 April 1948, DAVIDSON— In loving memory of my loving Daughter Kathleen, who passed away April 2. 1947. -Ever remembered by her loving mother. H. Copeland. DAVIDSON— In loving memory of our dear Daughter-in-law. Sister-in-law and Aunt Kathleen Dawn who passed away April 2. 1947. Sadly missed by N. Davidson and family. DAVIDSON— In loving memory of our dear Wife and Mother Kathleen, who passed. away April 2. 1947. Things have changed In many ways. But one thing changes never. The memory of those happy days. When we were all together. —Always remembered by- Bill, Donald and Kaye.’ Kathleen was buried with her first child, William John Davidson.

Aged 73, Bill died on the 11th March ’87. A plaque commemorating his service is at the Derrick Gardens of Remembrance, Tree Bed 38, Position 1.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.