Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 November 1915 Letters 1916-1923 James Davidson

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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Letter from James Davidson (1877-1916) to his mother, Clara Mary, describing the relatively comfortable billet he is in at the moment, the awful weather, and his recent sickness. Davidson describes various duties concerning working with and repairing machine guns. He writes he has not received any food or clothes lately and requests soda bread and leather gloves.This letter is part of a large correspondence from Captain James Davidson to his parents. Davidson, who was Managing Director of the Sirocco Engineering Works in Belfast, served with 13 Royal Irish Rifles and the Machine Gun Corps. His letters describe his experiences while training in England and serving in France. He was killed on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Davidson Family Papers, D3642/B/8/9 https://letters1916.ie/item/670 English James Davidson 1915-11-12 In the Field Clara Mary Davidson Seacourt, Bangor, Co. Down Male World War I (1914-1918)

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 12/11/15 My Dearest Mother - It's over a week now since I wrote you but having written to K & Father in the meantime there was really nothing to tell you & besides I have had a very busy time of it recently. It was good of you dear Mother to write me so often & I have now 4 letters of yours before me to acknowledge dated 2nd, 5th 6th & 9th. I was just reading your last, telling me what a bad time poor Kathleen was having when the wire arrived with the good news that Baby had arrived & that both were doing well. I can imagine how delighted & relieved Douglas will be to receive the news. I think K was hoping for a boy but still I don't suppose she will be at all disappointed. Well as regards our doings out here the Brigade starts back to the trenches on Monday but they are only to be there for a short spell (about 2 weeks) & it has been decided to leave all the Machine Gunners & Bombers here to continue their training & so I shall be remaining also to superintend the M G instructions & as O C details. The weather is simply awful at present - it has scarcely stopped raining for past 3 days so am lucky to be left here in comfortable quarters when the move is only for such a short time. I have a machine gun range fixed up about 2 miles from here & all the guns in the Bde, assemble there each day for shooting & various kinds of training. We take lunch with us & spend the whole day there so I have quite a busy time of it. The Batts. are billeted in neighbouring villages but I expect when the Bde. leaves for the trenches the detachment left behind will all be billeted in this village. I ride every day to the range & frequently also to the various villages where the Batts. are billeted. but of course have nothing like the amount of riding here that I had when we were in the trenches, & I was going to various parts of the line each day. I have been rather seedy for the last 2 days - a bilious turn - & have been in bed since yest. afternoon, however I am much better this evening & expect to be quite all right again by tomorrow. There is a very good little Dr. in the 9th Fus. who are in this village & he has been looking after me. Have not seen Gerard for some little time but he was then in good form & looking well. His Batt. the 13th is about 3 miles away from here. We heard yesterday that Charlie M. has been granted another 3 months leave so he must be a good deal worse than he imagined. It is unfortunate for him & also for the Batt. but he will at least miss most of the winter out here which is something to be thankful for. Was glad to hear Hammis was looking so well - I hope he will soon recover the use of his arm. You mentioned that you had sent me a box of fruit but so far no parcels of any kind have reached me within the last 2 weeks. I have also been expecting the parcel of clothes I wrote for. Probably they will come within the next day or so as also cakes etc. By the way Mother dear if you can send any butter, would you include some soda bread, Quite a number of the men have it sent out to them & it makes such a pleasant change from the ration bread we get. My gloves have almost worn out & I would like you to send me 1 pr leather with gauntlets & fur lined 1 pr woollen 1 ' ' mittens. My size is 8=1/2 but the leather gloves especially are better to be on the large size as then ones hands keep warmer. Hoping to have further good news of K in your next letter & with love to all Your loving son Jim Have not yet received the tubes of shaving soap & toothpaste. Hope they will come soon as my supply is almost finished. On Active Service 17 Nov Mrs S.C. Davidson Seacourt Bangor Co. Down Ireland JS Davidson 12 - 11- 15 In the Field Letter from William Montgomery to his father, Harford Hugh Montgomery, 26 October, 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 28 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 16 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 3 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 2 December 1915Letter from William Montgomery to his mother, Sara Montgomery, 13 October, 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 17 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 22 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 31 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 1 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 11 January 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 January 1916Letter from William Montgomery to his father, Harford Hugh Montgomery, 18 December, 1915Letter from William Montgomery to his father, Harford Hugh Montgomery, 13 December, 1915Letter from William Montgomery to his parents, Harford and Sara Montgomery, 18 November, 1915Letter from William Montgomery to his parents, Harford and Sara Montgomery, 29 December, 1915 Seacourt, Bangor, Co. Down Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 28 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 16 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 December 1915Letter from Captain James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 6 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 3 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 2 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 17 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 22 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 21 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 31 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 1 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 11 January 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 January 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, S.C. Davidson, 27 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 27 January 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 28 May 1916Letter from James Davidson to his sister, Kathleen, 7 March 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 13 March 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 27 February 1916Telegram from Secretary War Office to the Davidsons, 3 March 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 21 May 1916 James Davidson Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 28 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 16 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 December 1915Letter from Captain James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 6 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 3 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 3 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 2 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 17 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 22 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 21 November 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 31 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 1 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 11 January 1916Letter from Captain James Davidson to his mother Clara Mary Davidson, 7 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 January 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, S.C. Davidson, 27 December 1915Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 27 January 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 28 May 1916Telegram from Samuel Cleland Davidson to Captain SJ Davidson, 6 March 1916Letter from James Davidson to his sister, Kathleen, 7 March 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 13 March 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary. Davidson, 16 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 30 June 1916Postcard from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 25 June 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 28 June 1916Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 8 April 1916Letter from James Davidson to Samuel Davidson, 9 June 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 12 April 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 18 June 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 16 April 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 21 June 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 27 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 29 February 1916Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 21 May 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 5 June 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 6 June 1916Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 10 April 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 9 April 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 15 June 1916Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 23 April 1916