Letter from James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 21 November 1915 Letters 1916-1923 James Davidson

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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This letter is part of a large correspondence from Captain James Davidson (1877-1916) 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.James Davidson writes of news from home, 'Kathleen's baby' and his father's promise to send pistols. He has had a very busy time with administrative duties since the Brigade left for the trenches. James writes of the constant movement of his Brigade and refers to them being put into a different Corps. He is of the opinion that 'they are doing their best to destroy the individuality of the Division'. He is grateful for warm clothes as it was near freezing, and writes about other parcels received from home.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Davidson Family Papers, D3642/B/8/11 https://letters1916.ie/item/684 English James Davidson 1915-11-21 Clara Mary Davidson Seacourt, Bangor, Co. Down Male World War I (1914-1918)

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 21/11/15 My Dearest Mother Since I wrote you on Tues. last I have had your welcome letters of 10th 12th & 15th. I was so pleased to hear all the news about Kathleen's dear little Baby & it is splendid that both are doing so well. I have also had 2 letters from Father dated 10th & 13th & would you please give him my best thanks for them for I might not have time to write again for several days & it is now getting late. I was so interested in all the particulars he gave me about the pistol & forward to the first few arriving out here. I was speaking the other day about the pistol to the Brigadier & as he said 'that is just the thing we require — something which will fill the gaps between Hand Grenades & Artillery' It certainly looks as if the Pistol would do so. I have been having a very busy time of it since the Brigade left for the trenches, as there is a lot of office work to do looking after all these Details & then in addition there is the supervision of the Machine Gun training. Today (Sunday) the men had a day off, but I spent practically the whole time in the office making up all kinds of returns & answering letters &c. It seems almost certain now that we shall be moving from here this week to some new centre where the Brigade will join us on leaving the trenches, as we are apparently to be put into a different Corps. It looks as if they could not make up their minds what to do with the Ulster Division the way they push us about. They are certainly doing their best to destroy the individuality of the Divisions as one Brigade has already been cut off & another one put in its place. Then one of the Batts of this Brigade has been taken away to another one & we have got a Batt of Lancs Fus. instead. It is rather bad policy I should think but we have all long ago ceased to be surprised at anything that happens in the Division. I only hope at present that any move on our part will be delayed till after the Brigade returns, for if we have to go before then, I shall have an awful time with all these Details in connection with billeting & getting the huge amount of stores left behind transported. The day after I last wrote we had more snow which was followed by rain, then frost & today it was just a little above freezing point & bitterly cold. Fortunately the parcel with warm underclothes came on Sat. & I now feel a great deal more comfortable.The summer things I was wearing felt very light but I partly made up for this by wearing 2 waistcoats. And now dear Mother I must thank you for all the good things you sent me. They all arrived by the same post as the parcel of clothes & nearly filled a mail bag by themselves. There were 2 from Foster green with cakes & sweets, 1 with butter which arrived in splendid condition, 1 shaving cream & 1 toothpaste. They came at a most opportune time for on that evening we, (that is the 3 Brigade officers remaining, myself, the Signal & Grenade officers) gave a little dinner party to the 8 other officers in charge of the Details & the sweets, cakes & fruit were greatly appreciated. Next time however Mother dear please don't send so much in the sweet & cake line, I think there must have been about 8 large boxes of sweets & I have had to give away a good many as I could not possibly carry them when we move, as we are about to, this week. Hoffman for some reason again sent a pot of shaving cream instead of a tube. If he had no tubes a stick of soap would have been better as I have no room in my pack for any bulky articles. I shall want a small supply of medicines before long to fill up my little case but it will be time enough when I write again & I will then send a list of what I require. I shall be very glad to receive the warm gloves for the cold these days on the range is awfully penetrating. The poor chaps in the trenches must have been having a very hard time of it. I only hope that in addition they have not had many casualties. It is just midnight so must come to a close. With fondest love to all & hoping to have further good reports soon of K & baby Your loving son Jim On active service Recd 25thNov 1915 Mrs S. C. Davidson Seacourt Bangor Co. Down Ireland 21/11/15 J Davidson 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 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