Note from R.B. Henry to Samuel Davidson, 10 July 1916 Letters 1916-1923 R.B. Henry

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A note from R.B. Henry to Samuel Cleland Davidson (1846-1921). Henry encloses a note describing the death of Davidson's son, James. The writer notes that James would have won the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour, should he have lived. 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.Sir Samuel Cleland Davidson was an Irish inventor and founder of the Sirocco Engineering Works in Belfast. During the First World War the Sirocco Engineering Works manufactured and exported equipment for cooling, drying, dust collecting, heating, ventilating, pneumatic conveyance for the Royal and Merchant Navy.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland PRONI-D3642-B-8-62, PRONI-D3642-B-8-62 https://letters1916.ie/item/1047 English R.B. Henry 1916-07-10 Crumlin Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, Ireland Samuel Cleland Davidson Male World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918)

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 Crumlin Road Belfast 10 July 1916 Dear Sam Please find enclosed as promised, sorry sorry beyond words Yours sincerely R. B. Henry P.S. Jim Davidson died most gallantly. All his men in the Machine Gun were killed and then he worked it himself although hit three times and fired on till the ammunition was exhausted and then died. If he had lived he would have got the V.C. From Robin Henrys letter 4/7/16 Crumlin Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, Ireland Note from R.B. Henry to Samuel Davidson, 10 July 1916 R.B. Henry Note from R.B. Henry to Samuel Davidson, 10 July 1916 Samuel Cleland Davidson Telegram from Samuel Cleland Davidson to Captain SJ Davidson, 6 March 1916Telegram from Samuel Davidson to Frederick Ponsonby, 11 July 1916Note from R.B. Henry to Samuel Davidson, 10 July 1916Letter from Samuel Davidson to Lieutenant William Ashcroft, 7 July 1916Telegram from the War Office to Samuel Cleland Davidson, 7 July 1916Letter from William Ashcroft to Samuel Cleland & Clara Davidson, 3 July 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 his father Samuel Cleland Davidson, 16 February 1916Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 10 April 1916