John Whitworth Davidson

John Whitworth Davidson was born in Sheffield on 17th November 1894. He was the younger of the two sons of Albert Davidson, an engineer, and his first wife, Alice Maud Hatfield. Alice died shortly after his birth, and in 1896 Albert married Emma Birks; they had three more sons.

By 1901 at the latest, the Davidson family was living in Dore, at King’s Croft. They were still there in April 1913 when John, driving his father’s car, collided with a pony and trap as he turned into the High Street from Dore Road; fortunately, no one was hurt and the damage to the car was not serious. However, the family later moved to Tulloch House, in Cobnar Gardens, Bingham Road, Woodseats. This move may have occasioned the presentation to Mrs Davidson on 16^th June 1913 of a cut-glass salad bowl mounted with silver by the members of the Dore Women’s Social Afternoon.

John was educated at Ackworth School [originally a Quaker school], King Edward VII School, Sheffield, and Wellington College. He then studied engineering at Sheffield University. He served in the Officers Training Corps (OTC) at both Wellington and Sheffield University.

Most of the information about John’s military career is drawn from the Wellington College website Old Wrekinian Lives Lost 1914-18. We are told that he was living in Sidmouth, Devon, when he applied for a commission in the Special Reserve of Officers on 5th August 1914 – the day after England declared war on Germany. Although his preference was to serve in a Scottish regiment, on 15th August he was commissioned as a Second-Lieutenant in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment). At that time, the Battalion was based in Sunderland, where John carried out his initial training.

John did not arrive in Belgium until 4th September 1915, over a year after he first sought to join the army. He was posted to the 10th Battalion of The Sherwood Foresters, and was promoted to First Lieutenant on 10th March 1916.

On 4th July 1916, John received a gunshot wound in his left arm. He was repatriated to England, and admitted to The London Hospital in Whitechapel, from which he was discharged on 25th July. He was passed fit for duty on 23rd November, although his arm remained weak and painful enough for him to write to the War Office seeking a wound gratuity; we do not know whether this application was successful.

He returned to France where he was wounded on 5th March 1917, dying of his wounds later the same day in No.48 Casualty Clearing Station at Bray sur Somme. He was 22 years old. He was buried in Bray Military Cemetery. The Sheffield Daily Telegraph for 12th March 1917 reports that a special service was held in his memory at St Chad’s Church, Woodseats. He was posthumously awarded the British and Victory Medals and 1915 Star.

In addition to the plaque in Dore Church, John is commemorated on the Sheffield Council Official Roll of Honour, St Chad’s Church Roll of Honour, the University of Sheffield Roll of Honour, the Old Edwardians Roll of Honour at King Edward VII School, and the Freemasons Roll of Honour at Sheffield Cathedral.