Private Samuel Davidson
Samuel Davidson was born on 30 November 1891 at 6 Enfield Street, Belfast, the first of three children of clerk (later cashier in a flax spinning mill) William Davidson and his wife Elizabeth (née Johnston). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living as a student boarder at the Church of Ireland Training College, Kildare Street, Dublin. Soon after he was employed as a National School teacher.
Davidson enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Downpatrick on 2 December 1915, reporting for duty at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp six days later, where he was issued regimental number 2027. After training at Antrim, on 18 January 1917 he embarked for France, where he was posted to B or C Squadron of the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment.
In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and its men were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Davidson, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. Davidson was issued regimental number 41536 and posted to C Company.
After being hospitalised with a series of illnesses beginning in October 1917, Davidson was posted to the Royal Engineers' Field Survey Company Depot at Le Havre on 4 May 1918. He was transferred to that regiment with the rank of sapper on 1 August that year (No.362501). On 11 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
After the war Davidson returned to Belfast and resumed work as a school-master, initially living with his parents at 199 Crumlin Road. On 23 April that year he married Mary Moore Parr in St Mark's Church of Ireland Parish Church, Ballysillan. By 1965, having retired as a headmaster, he was living at 8 Fairway Drive, Upper Malone, Belfast. He died there on 7 April.