Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 23 April 1916 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 Davidson, informing her of life at the front. Davidson's company have returned to the front line but have had difficulty with the terrible weather. Despite the difficult conditions Davidson writes of his exciting engagement with the Germans the previous night. While suffering no casualties himself he hopes that the British guns inflicted many on the other side. 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 Papers, D3642-B-8-45 https://letters1916.ie/item/3775 English James Davidson 1916-04-23 Clara Davidson Seacourt, Bangor, CO. Down, Ireland Male 1916 World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 April 23, 1916 My dearest Mother I have not been able to wirte any letters for some dayes as there has been so much to attend to & now I have several to answer so excuse a rather hurried line. We are back again in the Line, but this time we have only taken over part of what we held before & unfortunately for my Comp we have not got that same comfortable billet. None of any kind were available so we were put into tents in a wood from which we can just see the German Lines. We moved up on Thurs. & were lucky enough to get a fine day, for the ground was in an awful state & it was not till late in the evg. that the tents were pitched & we were able to get some food cooked, while in addition we had of course to take over the gun positions & c. Since then & for days before it has rained incessantly & we know had a very miserable time of it. Tthe trenches too were in a horrible condition. This is the first day I have had dry feet & clothes since we left our billets. It was impossible to get anything dried - even the tents leaked - but thank goodness today is fine & we have been able to spread things out to dry. I think I may be permitted to tell you that we had a fairly lively demonstration against the Germans last night. My guns were very busy & it was a sight I shall never forget. I was at the point with 2 guns where I could see most of the ground. We were standing in water & it was pouring but the excitement of it all made me forget all discomforts & I would not have missed it for anything. I had no casualties but hope the guns made a good many With this move mails have been a little disorganised that is to say as regards parcels but I expect they will begin to arrive again tomorrow. Would you please tell Malcolmson to repeat the trimmed bacon they sent in our parcel. It was excellent, in fact I think you might tell them to include a bit in each parcel. I got your letter of 18th yest but am afriad dear Mother I must acknowledge that I could not read the part you crossed. A phone message had just come from Bde. & I must go off at once. Sending love to all your loving son James. A letter just came from K. but have not time to read it now. On Active Service dated 23 rd Wed. of May 1916 Mrs. S.C. Davidson Seacourt Bangor Co Down Ireland Seacourt, Bangor, CO. Down, Ireland Letter from James Davidson to Clara Davidson, 23 April 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