L/Cpl
James Warren Davidson
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 02/12/1894 |
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Place of birth: Newcastle, New Brunswick, Canada |
General information
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Profession: Bank clerk |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Lance Corporal |
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Service number: 222051 |
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Enlistment date: 18/09/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 85th Bn. (Nova Scotia Highlanders) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 30/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Passchendaele - Broodseinde road, Milepost 10, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: III Row: B Grave: 13 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Lance Corporal James Warren Davidson served in the Canadian Infantry 85th Battalion, part of the 12th Canadian Brigade, of the 50th Canadian Division.
On the 30th of October 1917, the 12th Brigade participated in an attack near Tiber. The attack was divided in four groups: “A “company would advance on the left and take Tiber, “B” Company advanced on the right and would attack along the railway and ensure the defence on the right flank, “C” company remained in the centre and would take Vienna Cottage and “D” company was put up as a reserve.
At 5.50 am the 12th Brigade began the attack. Almost immediately they were met with heavy machinegun and rifle fire. They managed to proceed until a fierce fire fight broke out in No Man’s Land. When “D “company was finally called in for support, the Germans retreated.
Despite the high number of casualties, the 12th Canadian Brigade managed to consolidate all its objectives by 8.30 am. During the rest of the day, the Germans were seen trying to advance on Hill 13 and in the direction of Passchendaele. Their progress was stopped by machinegun fire from the 12th Brigade.
Lance Corporal James Warren Davidson was killed in action on the 30th of October 1917. The 22-year old was buried along the Passchendaele-Broodseinde road, near milepost 10. This position indicates that James was possibly killed while advancing on Vienna Cottage and Tiber. His remains were exhumed after the war and reinterred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
On the 30th of October 1917, the 12th Brigade participated in an attack near Tiber. The attack was divided in four groups: “A “company would advance on the left and take Tiber, “B” Company advanced on the right and would attack along the railway and ensure the defence on the right flank, “C” company remained in the centre and would take Vienna Cottage and “D” company was put up as a reserve.
At 5.50 am the 12th Brigade began the attack. Almost immediately they were met with heavy machinegun and rifle fire. They managed to proceed until a fierce fire fight broke out in No Man’s Land. When “D “company was finally called in for support, the Germans retreated.
Despite the high number of casualties, the 12th Canadian Brigade managed to consolidate all its objectives by 8.30 am. During the rest of the day, the Germans were seen trying to advance on Hill 13 and in the direction of Passchendaele. Their progress was stopped by machinegun fire from the 12th Brigade.
Lance Corporal James Warren Davidson was killed in action on the 30th of October 1917. The 22-year old was buried along the Passchendaele-Broodseinde road, near milepost 10. This position indicates that James was possibly killed while advancing on Vienna Cottage and Tiber. His remains were exhumed after the war and reinterred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
Sources 4
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Circumstances of death http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/mass-digitized-archives/circumstances-death-registers/Pages/circumstances-death-registers.aspx Sources used |
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McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 153-154. Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC) RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2322 - 29). https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/search.aspx Sources used |
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War diaries: 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4944, Microfilm reel number: T-10751--T-10752, File number: 454. https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/480184 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=9a6b31b0-771f-4a88-a6d0-b032762f235a |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5819235 |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/480184 |