DAVIDSON, Frank
| Service Number: | 676 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 October 1901, Attested in South Africa 5 Oct 1901. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 676 | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1901: | Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 676, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Attested in South Africa 5 Oct 1901. | |
| 5 Oct 1901: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 676, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 112, notes he attested in South Africa on 5 Oct 1901 with the 6th QIB 1st Draft after the draft arrived at Cape Town on 22 Sep 1901. | |
| 14 Aug 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 676, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 112, notes returned to Australia aboard Norfolk arriving Brisbane 7 Aug 1902, discharged 14 Aug 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Frank Davidson joined the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft) on 5 Oct 1901 in South Africa after the draft had arrived at Cape Town on 22 Sep 1901. Murray notes on page 519 of his compilation of the AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, at the end of the list of men in the draft, that all but 3 had served in previous contingents. It appears Frank Davidson was one of the 3 men concerned.
Originally referred to as the Seventh Contingent when enrolments commenced in Aug 1901, the Imperial authorities advised that a new contingent could not be raised but rather a draft of a currently serving Queensland contingent could be formed to go as reinforcements. This was due to federation having occurred in Australia on 1 Jan 1901 and from that point new contingents were to be formed under the Imperial (Commonwealth) Government of Australia direction.
It has been suggested through other sources that Frank Davidson had previously served as Frank Lomas Davidson in a NSW contingent (S.N. 30, New South Wales Citizen Bushmen). However, Frank Lomas Davidson also served in WW1 (S.N. 1908/4053, 25th/11th Infantry Battalions, AIF) and reviewing his WW1 Attestation Paper he noted only the Boer war service in the NSW Citizen Bushmen under previous services. No information could be found to support Frank Davidson of the 6th QIB as having served previously in the Boer war.
Men in the draft were not recorded in the original nominal roll for the 6th QIB but he is recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 112, where his attestation date is recorded. When the 5th QIB returned to Australia a number of the men remained in South Africa for various reasons.
The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, S.N. 673, Private Frank Davidson, remained in South Africa for further service. The Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 112, notes he returned to Brisbane and was discharged 14 Aug 1902, and his address post discharge was GPO, Sydney.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 519; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 112).