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            <title type="main">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 6 June 1916</title>
            <title type="sub">Letters 1916-1923</title>
            <author>James Davidson</author>
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            <p>This work was originally published by Maynooth University in Ireland in <date>2017</date>. In 2026 this data, stored in a relational database was extracted and converted into this TEI/XML document.</p>
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            <publisher>Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities</publisher>
            <pubPlace>Vienna, AT</pubPlace>
            <date>2026</date>
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               <p>Letter from James Davidson (1877-1916) to his mother, Clara Mary (b.1852). Davidson writes that he and his company came safely through 'last night's performance.' Davidson describes it as the worst experience that he or his men had experienced so far.

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.</p>
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              <date>1916-06-06</date>
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             6/6/16   My dearest Mother   Just a line <lb/>to let you know that I + <lb/>my   came safely through <lb/>last <sic>nights</sic> performances. <lb/>Dermot Mill + I were <lb/>in a very bad spot + <lb/>Tommy Patterson was one of <lb/>the team. It was quite <lb/>the worst experience any <lb/>of us have had so far <lb/>but we had the most marvellous luck + <lb/>not one of us got a <lb/>scratch. Must now be off to the trenches to see <lb/>how things are.   With fondest <lb/>love You loving son   Jim 
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             On Active Service   Written 6<hi rend="superscript">th</hi> <seg type="del">May</seg>  June  We<hi rend="underline">d</hi> 1916   Mrs S.C. Davidson <lb/>Seacourt <lb/>Bangor <lb/>Co Down <lb/>  6/6/16  Ireland 
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            <noteGrp><note target="item__0674.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 3 November 1915</note><note target="item__0715.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary. Davidson, 16 February 1916</note><note target="item__1045.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 30 June 1916</note><note target="item__1046.xml" type="mentions">Telegram from Samuel Davidson to Frederick Ponsonby, 11 July 1916</note><note target="item__1048.xml" type="mentions">Letter from K.E. Fitzgerald to Clara Davidson, 5 July 1916</note><note target="item__1049.xml" type="mentions">Postcard from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 25 June 1916</note><note target="item__1053.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 28 June 1916</note><note target="item__1055.xml" type="mentions">Telegram from the War Office to Samuel Cleland Davidson, 7 July 1916</note><note target="item__1057.xml" type="mentions">Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 8 April 1916</note><note target="item__1060.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 12 April 1916</note><note target="item__1061.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 18 June 1916</note><note target="item__1062.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 16 April 1916</note><note target="item__1063.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 21 June 1916</note><note target="item__2788.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 29 February 1916</note><note target="item__2798.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his father Samuel Cleland Davidson, 16 February 1916</note><note target="item__3760.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 5 June 1916</note><note target="item__3763.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 6 June 1916</note><note target="item__3765.xml" type="mentions">Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 10 April 1916</note><note target="item__3766.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 9 April 1916</note><note target="item__3769.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 15 June 1916</note></noteGrp></place>
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               <persName>James Davidson</persName>
            <noteGrp><note target="item__0669.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 28 November 1915</note><note target="item__0670.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 November 1915</note><note target="item__0671.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 16 November 1915</note><note target="item__0672.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 December 1915</note><note target="item__0673.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Captain James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 6 December 1915</note><note target="item__0674.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 3 November 1915</note><note target="item__0675.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 3 November 1915</note><note target="item__0676.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 2 December 1915</note><note target="item__0680.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 17 December 1915</note><note target="item__0681.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 12 December 1915</note><note target="item__0682.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 22 December 1915</note><note target="item__0684.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Mary Davidson, 21 November 1915</note><note target="item__0685.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 31 December 1915</note><note target="item__0686.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 1 February 1916</note><note target="item__0687.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 11 January 1916</note><note target="item__0689.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Captain James Davidson to his mother Clara Mary Davidson, 7 December 1915</note><note target="item__0691.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 January 1916</note><note target="item__0692.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, S.C. Davidson, 27 December 1915</note><note target="item__0693.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 27 January 1916</note><note target="item__0705.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 28 May 1916</note><note target="item__0712.xml" type="mentions">Telegram from Samuel Cleland Davidson to Captain SJ Davidson, 6 March 1916</note><note target="item__0713.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his sister, Kathleen, 7 March 1916</note><note target="item__0714.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 13 March 1916</note><note target="item__0715.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary. Davidson, 16 February 1916</note><note target="item__0716.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 19 February 1916</note><note target="item__1045.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 30 June 1916</note><note target="item__1049.xml" type="mentions">Postcard from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 25 June 1916</note><note target="item__1053.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 28 June 1916</note><note target="item__1057.xml" type="mentions">Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 8 April 1916</note><note target="item__1059.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Samuel Davidson, 9 June 1916</note><note target="item__1060.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 12 April 1916</note><note target="item__1061.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 18 June 1916</note><note target="item__1062.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 16 April 1916</note><note target="item__1063.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 21 June 1916</note><note target="item__2787.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 27 February 1916</note><note target="item__2788.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 29 February 1916</note><note target="item__2802.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to his mother, Clara Mary Davidson, 21 May 1916</note><note target="item__3760.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 5 June 1916</note><note target="item__3763.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 6 June 1916</note><note target="item__3765.xml" type="mentions">Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 10 April 1916</note><note target="item__3766.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 9 April 1916</note><note target="item__3769.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 15 June 1916</note><note target="item__3775.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 23 April 1916</note></noteGrp></person>
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