DAVIDSON, William Ferguson

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Regimental Number
73265
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
24 years 10 months
Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        2nd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             6th Infantry Brigade
                                             28th Battalion - North-West 
                                             “A or B” Company
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   73265
RESIDENCE:                    Moose Jaw – Saskatchewan 
DATE OF BIRTH:            July 27, 1891
                                             Ballater – Aberdeenshire - Scotland
DATE OF DEATH:           June 6, 1916                         24 years     10 months
MEMORIAL:                    Ypres (Menin Gate) Ieper –
                                             West Vlaanderen – Belgium
                                             Panels 18 – 26 – 28 
PARENTS:                         Reverand Thomas and Isabella Davidson – Hamilton - Ontario
Occupation:                        Labourer                               Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Moose Jaw - Saskatchewan -   October 24, 1914                   
Enlistment Age:                 23 years     3 months

Private Favisdon sailed from Canadian shores on May 29, 1915 and he would have arrived in England in mid June.
Private Davidson went into France on September 17, 1915.
Private Davidson was killed in action while with his unit which was located at Hooge in the vicinity of Zillebeke in Belgium.  
During the night of June 5/6 the Battalion relieved the Royal Canadian Regiment on the knoll in the shattered village of Hooge and positioned 1 ½ Companies in the front and bombing trenches. Two Companies were in support about 500 yards back and the final two Companies were in support along the Menin Road.
At 1 am there was heavy enemy fire and “A” Company was in trenches 70-72 with “B” Company in 
trenches 73-75.
At 4 am the enemy began to shell the Battalion front and support lines with casualties being taken in the support lines due to poor communications between the two trenches. Then at 7 am there was another very heavy enemy artillery barrage along the front and support trenches.
At 3:30 pm the enemy blew four mines underneath the Battalion trenches where “A” Company & “B” Company were. The result being the area was impossible to garrison. Following this the enemy brought down their artillery and trench mortars onto the front. 
“A & B” Companies were holding the front lines. “A” was wiped out and “B” had suffered extensive casualties and at this time the enemy attacked them and occupied the front trenches. They could not advance any further because of the machine gun fire of the Battalion coming from the Culvert.
All the while the enemy was attacking their artillery was very active and heavy against the Battalion.  
It was during this day of fighting and enemy activity when Private Davidson lost his life.  He was killed at Hooge and it was impossible to recover his remains. As a note, I visited this site during our Battlefield Tour of 1914. The craters are still there and are full of water.