Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leslie Davidson served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private S.N. 37 in the 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry. Second service was as a Private S.N. 640 in the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen.

Newspaper report from 16 May 1902 notes that he remained in South Africa for further service when the 6th QIB embarked on 17 May 1902 to return to Australia. His actual date of discharge is unknown but is assumed to be date unit was officially disbanded.

(source- AWM Bore War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 467 & 518).

Leslie Davidson served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private S.N. 37 in the 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry. Second service was as as a Private S.N. 640 in the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft).

When he joined the 3rd QMI in 1900 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 3 Mar 1900, it was noted he was married and contact details were c/- Atthow and McGregor, Brisbane. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 3rd QMI, Bk 2 p. 5, it is noted he directed part of his pay to Geo Davidson, Com'l Bk'g Coy. of Sydney, Brisbane. He served the full tour of the 3rd QMI and was discharged in Brisbane 20 Jun 1901.

Not long after he was selected in the First Draft of the 6th QIB and embarked again for South Africa in Aug 1901. The members of the draft mainly consisted of men who had served in previous contingents in South Africa and were assembled as reinforcements for the 5th and 6th QIB contingents already in South Africa.

Men in the draft were not recorded in the original nominal roll for the 6th QIB. He was however, recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 78, where it was noted he directed part of his pay to his brother George Ernest Davidson, Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Ltd., Brisbane. 

The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, S.N. 640, Private Leslie Davidson, remained in South Africa for further service. The Boer War Service Paybooks don't provide a discharge place or date, but newspaper reports have him back in Brisbane by late 1902.

Leslie Davidson was born on 22 Nov 1870 in Queensland, a son to William Montgomerie Davidson and Mary Emily Davidson (nee Hall or Hull). His father spent a period serving as the Queensland Surveyor General. Leslie was living in Maryborough working as a solicitor when he married Ethel Tolson on 24 Nov 1897 at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane. They returned to Maryborough to reside where their son Earle Montgomerie Davidson was born in 1899, meaning he had a young family prior to enlisting. 

After returning from the war it appears they were residing in Brisbane until sometime in 1904. As reported in the Queensland Figaro, 8 Jun 1905, he had recently returned from a 8 month trip to South Africa and that week he left for Sydney to catch the boat to Fiji where he hoped to persue his profession as a solicitor. Follow-up newspaper reports in 1906 have his family residing in Fiji where he was working as a solicitor and later barrister.

It appears they made the move to Fiji permanent. in 1917 their son Earle was a student living at Mosman, Sydney, when he enlisted for WW1. He recorded his N.O.K. as his father Leslie Davidson, B.A., Fiji. His wife Ethel passed on 7 jun 1950 at a private hospital in Auckland, N. Z. and in reports in Queensland newspapers it was noted she was the wife of Leslie Davidson, B.A., Fiji, and mother of Earle. Details could not be ascertained as to the place and date of Leslie's passing.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 467 & 518; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 3rd QMI, Bk 2 p. 5, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 78; various newspaper articles- see links).