Richard Ephraim Davidson ...
Richard Ephraim Davidson ...
Richard Ephraim Davidson was the third last of Thomas and Mary-Jane’s nine children, born at Malmsbury in 1888.
Richard made the decision to serve his country during World War 1, and upon enlistment was attached to the 1st A.I.F. 6th Field Ambulance Corps, attaining the rank of Lance Corporal. He sadly made the ultimate sacrifice when he was killed instantly at Gallipoli after being hit by shrapnel whilst standing in the doorway of a Red Cross hospital tent on 21 November 1915. He was only 26 years old at the time.
A letter sent to his family by his commanding officer, Captain Hardy, speaks strongly of the respect that Richard was held in by the members of his unit. Captain Hardy also advised the family that he had only recently forwarded Richard’s name for promotion to Staff Sargeant, an appointment which would have occurred just a few days after his untimely death.
(Click on image on the left to enlarge)
After a service attended by members of his unit, Richard Ephraim Davidson was buried at Brown’s Dip, later re-named Lone Pine Cemetery, on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Richard is also memorialised on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, with his brother, William, providing the information required.
In May 2022, I was pleased to be able to finally visit his memorial and attach a poppy in his honour.
(Click on images below to enlarge)
Sources:
The Egertonian: Kith and Kin of our Clan Davidson - written by Gail Chambers and Lydia Davidson 1995 (edited by Gail Erwood 2021)
The All-Australia Memorial – History, Heroes, and Helpers (Victorian Edition), Editor-in-Chief Harry Blyth Maderson (British-Australian Publishing Service, Melbourne 1917)
Australian War Memorial - Canberra
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