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James Davidson
SRoH. Private James Davidson. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted January 1915, 2/5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Transferred to 1st Gordon Highlanders. Served in France.
Killed on 4th January 1917, near Courcelles.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : James Davidson G.H.
Anwoth Church Memorial : James Davidson Gordon Highlanders
Girthon & Anwoth Free Church : Private James Davidson, Gordon Highlanders
Girthon Gravestone : ..... also their sons …..James aged 25 ….killed in action in France 1917. Father: James Davidson, Mother Jessie Turner.
CWGC: Private James Davidson, Gordon Highlanders (1st Battalion), Service No. S/11730. Parents: James & Jessie Davidson, Fleet Street, Gatehouse of Fleet.
Buried: Courcelles-au-Bois Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France Grave: D17.
Army Records - Register of Effects: Davidson, James 1 Gordon Hdrs., Pte. S/11730. (Killed) In action 04/01/1917.
28/03/1917 £6-5-10 sent to his father James (sole leg.)
15/10/1919 War Gratuity of £15-10-19 sent to father James.
1901 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : James Davidson (born c.1894, Anwoth), with father James (forester) and mother Jessie + 5 siblings.
1911 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : James Davidson (born c.1893, Gatehouse), builder, with father James (estate forester) and mother Jessie + 2 brothers.
Dumfries & Galloway Standard Jan 1917: Mr. James Davidson, Fleet Street received word that his 3rd son, James, was wounded on 4th January and died the same day. He had enlisted with K.O.S.B but transferred to Gordons 10 months ago. He was 24 years old. Before the war, James served his apprenticeship with T. McGaw, builder, in Gatehouse.
Chaplain wrote ‘your son was a good and brave soldier’. Mr. Davidson has 4 other sons serving with the colours.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th August 1921: Unveiling of Gatehouse War Memorial. Wreath laid: ‘In grateful memory of the brave lads, from James Davidson and Family’
Note : His brothers were Robert, Nelson, Peter and Wilfred Davidson. Only Wilfred survived the war.
Gatehouse link : Born and educated in Gatehouse.
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Nelson Davidson
SRoH. Private Nelson Davidson. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted January 1915, 1/5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Served in Palestine.
Killed 15th November 1917, at Gaza.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Nelson Davidson K.O.S.B.
Anwoth Church Memorial : Nelson Davidson KOS Borderers
Girthon & Anwoth Free Church : Private Nelson Davidson, K.O.S.B.
Girthon Gravestone : ..... also their sons …..Nelson aged 26 ….killed in action in Palestine. Father: James Davidson, Mother Jessie Turner.
CWGC : N. Davidson, 1/5th K.O.S.B. Service No. 240977. Died 13/11/1917, aged 26. Buried: Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel (Panel 26) Parents: James & Jessie Davidson, Fleet Street.
1901 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : Nelson Davidson (age 7, born Anwoth), with father James (forester) and mother Jessie + 5 siblings.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th August 1921: Unveiling of Gatehouse War Memorial. Wreath laid: ‘In grateful memory of the brave lads, from James Davidson and Family’
Note : his brothers were James, Robert, Peter and Wilfred Davidson. Only Wilfred survived the war.
Gatehouse link : Born and educated in Gatehouse.
Peter Carson Davidson
SRoH. Private Peter Carson Davidson. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted January 1916, 15th Royal Scots.
Served in France. Wounded once near Douai.
Died from effects of his wounds 28th April 1917.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Peter C. Davidson R.S.
Anwoth Church Memorial : Peter C. Davidson Royal Scots
Girthon & Anwoth Free Church : Private Peter Davidson, Royal Scots
Girthon Gravestone : ..... also their sons …….Peter aged 22 ….killed in action in France 1917. Father: James Davidson, Mother Jessie Turner.
CWGC : P Davidson, Private Royal Scots 15th Battalion. Service No. 26974. Died 29/04/1917. Buried Douai Communal Cemetery, Nord, France in joint grave H7.
1901 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : Peter Davidson (age 4, born Anwoth), with father James (forester) and mother Jessie + 5 siblings.
Dumfries & Galloway Standard & Advertiser Aug.1915 : Peter served his apprenticeship at Cally Gardens. Prior to enlisting he had been working as a gardener at Inglewood Gardens, Alloa. He is the third son of Mr James Davidson to fall this year.
Dumfries & Galloway Standard & Advertiser Aug.1915 : The same paper reports his death ‘from wounds’ on 29th April at Kriegs Gefangen, Lazareth St Clotilde, Douai.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th August 1921: Unveiling of Gatehouse War Memorial. Wreath laid: ‘In grateful memory of the brave lads, from James Davidson and Family’
Note : his brothers were James, Nelson, Robert and Wilfred Davidson. Only Wilfred survived the war.
Gatehouse link : Born and educated in Gatehouse.
Robert Turner Davidson
SRoH. Private Robert Turner Davidson. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted December 1914, 29th Vancouver Battalion. Served in France.
Wounded once, and killed on 4th May 1917, near Fresnoy.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Robt. T. Davidson Canadians.
Anwoth Church Memorial : Robert T. Davidson Canadians
Girthon & Anwoth Free Church : Private Robert Davidson, Canadians
Girthon Gravestone : ..... also their sons ….. Robert aged 27 ….killed in action in France. Father: James Davidson, Mother Jessie Turner.
CWGC : RT Davidson (nationality Canadian). Private Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Brigade) 29th Battalion. Service No: 75680. Parents: James & Jessie Davidson, Fleet Street, Gatehouse.
Died 05/05/1917, aged 26.
Buried Orchard Dump Cemetery, Arleux-en-Gohelle, Pas de Calais, France. Grave: VII.H.26
Canadian Great War Project on internet: Private Robert Turner Davidson Reg. No. 75680
Born 08/03/1890 Scotland. Next of kin: James Davidson (father) and mother Jessie, Fleet Street, Gatehouse, Scotland.
Enlisted 07/11/1914 Killed 05/05/1917 (aged 26). Buried Orchard Dump, Pas de Calais.
Previous experience – Territorials.
1901 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : Robert Davidson (10, born Anwoth), with father James (forester) and mother Jessie + 5 siblings.
1911 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : Robert Davidson (20, wood cutter, born Gatehouse), with father James (estate forester), mother Jessie + 2 brothers.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 25th May 1917: Private Robert Davidson, 2nd Canadian Contingent has been killed. He was the son of Mr James Davidson, Fleet Street, Gatehouse. He was mortally wounded by shrapnel and died a few minutes later. A letter from the company officer said ' Mr Davidson had lost a good son and the battalion had lost a brave soldier'.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th August 1921: Unveiling of Gatehouse War Memorial. Wreath laid: ‘In grateful memory of the brave lads, from James Davidson and Family’.
Note : his brothers were James, Nelson, Peter and Wilfred Davidson. Only Wilfred survived the war.
Gatehouse link : Born and educated in Gatehouse.
Wilfred Davidson
SRoH. Private Wilfred Davidson. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted October 1916, 1/10th Royal Scots. Transferred to Class W.
Military Records : Regimental No. 375668 Born 13/02/1897.
Married Isabella (Christie) from Thorneybrioch, Creetown 01/01/1917. Had a son born 19/01/1917. Wilfred was 5’ 8’’ tall, brown eyes & fair hair. He was a mason by trade.
Army telegram 28/12/1917 requesting no more overseas duty.
Transferred to Class W (T) on 21/01/1918 on compassionate grounds & brought home by the army after his 4 brothers - James, Nelson, Peter, & Robert T. were all killed in 1917.
Discharged 28/02/1919 as surplus to requirements.
1901 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : Wilfred Davidson (age 3, born Anwoth) with father James (forester) and mother Jessie + 5 siblings.
1911 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : Wilfred Davidson (age 14 born Gatehouse), with father James (estate forester), mother Jessie + 2 brothers.
Scotlands People: Wilfred Davidson married Isabella Christie in 1917 at Kirkmabreck.
Even before the start of World War I, tragedy had struck the Davidson family with the deaths of Wilfred’s mother Jessie and sister Clara.
Girthon Grave: Clara, daughter of James and Jessie Davidson who died at Fleet Street 28th May 1910, aged 18 years. Also Jessie, daughter of Robert Turner, and wife of James Davidson who died at Fleet Street 30th November 1913, aged 54. (Father James Davidson died in 1934 aged 74).
Gatehouse link : Born and educated in Gatehouse. Was Provost of Gatehouse from 1972 to 1976.
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