Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021:
John Charles Davidson, 22, was a member of Auburn Presbyterian Church and a carpenter, who had completed a four-year apprenticeship with Oldfields of Auburn. On enlistment in December 1915, Davidson applied for and was given a commission as he had served five years as an officer in the militia (Note: Officers commissioned on enlistment were not given numbers in the First AIF).
Unusually, Lieutenant Davidson was away to the war only seven days later, embarking on the Aeneas on 20 December 1915. He arrived on the Western Front via Alexandria and Marseilles in April 1916.
Davidson was taken on the supplementary officer list of the 1st Battalion on 17 May 1916. Less than a month later he was killed by an accidental discharge of a rifle at the Division’s rifle range in the Nursery Sector. The Brigade Court of Enquiry held in the field two days later declared he had been accidentally killed when a soldier had accidentally discharged his rifle. That soldier, 3708 Private Roy Jordon Carr, was subsequently sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour, but the sentence was suspended. The sentence was never served, as Private Carr was killed in action in Belgium in October 1917.
Davidson was buried in the Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery (Hazebrouck was the gateway town for the Nursery Sector). Almost all the Australian troops transferred from Egypt to the Western Front travelled to the port of Marseilles, then were carried by troop train north across France and around to the railhead at Hazebrouck.
Lieutenant John Charles Davidson should not be confused with 3787 Private John Charles Davidson who survived the war and whose name is on the honour roll in Auburn Public School.
Lieutenant John Charles Davidson is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Auburn Presbyterian Church First World War Honour Roll
- Auburn Presbyterian Church First World War Memorial Stained-Glass Window
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal
- 1914-20 Victory Medal
