Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Jack and Marguerita Davis, of Windsor, Victoria, Australia.

Private Davis enlisted in July 1940 and embarked for overseas service in December 1941. He arrived in Ambon on 17 December 1941 and was a member of 2/21 Battalion which was part of “Gull Force”. This force consisted of 1131 Australian soldiers, Dutch and local native troops whose objective was to occupy Ambon Island (approximately 350 miles NNE of Timor, in the Banda Sea) and hinder the Japanese advance.
Pte Davis was a member of a large garrison that was positioned around Laha Airfield prior to the Japanese invasion of 30 January 1942. Following a series of short but fierce battles, fighting on Ambon ceased on 2nd February 1942, after which Pte Davis was listed as missing. He was officially presumed deceased on 20 February 1942.

WHY I JOINED UP
‘Feel Fit And
Able For It’
 
LAWRENCE JOHN DAVIS, 21, machinist, joined the A.I.F. today because he considered himself “fit and able to do a job in the army.” “I have had three years’ experience in the militia and have just finished three weeks’ training at the Mount Martha camp,” he added. “I reckon it is time that all single men and boys joined up.” Lawrence Davis was a  corporal with the Australian Army Ordnance Corps, but today he joined the A.I.F. as a private. He would have joined earlier, but today was the first chance he had since the camp broke up. He is 5ft. 10½in. tall and weighs 11st. 5lb.