DAVIDSON, Norman Alexander
Other Name: | Davidson, Norman Alick - Australian War Memorial - Pre first world war conflicts nominal roll 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
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Service Numbers: | 646, 95 |
Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
Last Rank: | Sergeant |
Last Unit: | 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
Born: | Queensland, Australia, 5 December 1877 |
Home Town: | Bundaberg, Bundaberg, Queensland |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Soldier |
Memorials: |
Boer War Service
1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 646 | |
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1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 95, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
12 Apr 1900: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Promoted from Private to Corporal. | |
6 Aug 1900: | Wounded Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 95, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Elands River, Severely wounded at Eland's River. | |
10 Dec 1900: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 95, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Invalided to Australia. | |
20 Aug 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 646, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes part of First Draft for 6th QIB embarked at Sydney 20 Aug 1901 aboard Britannic arriving Cape Town 22 Sep 1901. | |
21 Aug 1901: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 84, notes promoted to Corporal 21 Aug 1901. | |
24 Aug 1901: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 84, notes promoted to Sergeant 24 Aug 1901. | |
27 Sep 1901: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, Elands River, Dispatches, London Gazette 27/09/1901. | |
2 Jul 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 646, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 84, notes discharged in South Africa on 2 Jul 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Norman Alexander Davidson was also recorded as Norman Alick Davidson on documents associated with his second service.
Norman Alexander Davidson served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private rising to Corporal S.N. 95 in the 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry. Second service was as as a Private rising to Sergeant S.N. 646 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 single and contact details were Bourbon St, Bundaberg. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 3rd QMI, Bk 2 p. 6, it is noted he directed part of his pay to his father John Davidson, Bourbon St, Bundaberg.
He was severely wounded at Eland's River on 6 Aug 1900 and invalided back to Australia with discharge in Brisbane 17 Dec 1900. For his actions at Eland's River he was mentioned in despatches and later awarded the D.C.M. in Sept 1901.
Then in mid 1901 he volunteered again under the name Norman Alick Davidson and 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. 84, where it was noted he directed part of his pay to his father John Davidson, Bourbon St, Bundaberg.
The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, S.N. 646, Sergeant Norman A. Davidson, remained in South Africa for further service. The Boer War Service Paybooks note he was discharged in South Africa on 2 Jul 1902.
Norman Alexander Davidson was born on 5 Dec 1877 in Queensland, a son to John Davidson and Elizabeth Alice Davidson (nee Noble), one of 12 children. His mother passed in 1881 at Stnathorpe and his father relocated the family to Bundaberg where he ran a chemist shop in Bourbon Street. When his father John passed in 1911 it noted he had fathered 12 children most of whom were absent from Bundaberg.
It appears Norman Alexander Davidson remained to live in South Africa marrying Ethel Mary Young on 9 Oct 1902 at Durban, South Africa, and they had at least one child. In 1904 a birth notice was placed in Queensland newspapers including The Queenslander, 19 Mar 1904, which noted the birth of his son on 6 Feb 1904 at Durban, South Africa. Newspaper reports on his award of the DCM including in The Bundaberg Mail, 1 Apr 1903, noted his father was advised it was intended to present the medal at the local Easter encampment but as his son was now in South Africa it would be forwarded to him there.
(source- AWM boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 469 & 518; Qld Srate Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 3rd QMI, Bk 2 p. 6, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 84).