Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Raleigh (Robert in NZ records) Gilbert Davidson

Ancestor's date of birth: 21/12/1878

Ancestor's date of death: 29/06/1951

Cause of Death: Cerebral Thombosis

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Raleigh was born at Shooters Hill near Bathurst NSW. He was a stockman and agricultural worker. At the time of the Boer War he was working in New Zealand

Service Number: 9641

Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia Place of Enlistment: Waimate, NZ

Unit: 10^th New Zealand Mounted Rifles

Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 01/04/1902

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): PTE, Date Effective: 24/08/1914

Murray Page: Not applicable did not serve in an Australian unit

Contingent: Tenth New Zealand

Ship: SS Norfolk, Date of Sailing: 19/04/1902

Memorial details: Detail not provided

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Sfrica Medal with South Africa 1902 clasp. 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Personal Characteristics: 182 centimetres tall, Fair complexion, hazel eyes, Dark hair

Reasons to go and fight: To Serve the empire

Details of service in war: The Tenth was formed as a response to the defeat suffered by British forces at Tweebosch on 7 March 1902. It was divided into two regiments: the North Island Regiment departed from Wellington aboard the SS Drayton, while the South Island Regiment departed from Lyttelton aboard the SS Norfolk. With both regiments of the Tenth Contingent arriving in South Africa in late May, they were moved to Newcastle before the end of the war on 31 May. He was discharged in Wellington,NZ in 1902.

Service and life after the Boer War: Returning to Australia he again enlisted in the AIF in World War one and was posted as No 71 Driver 1st Field Ambulance on 24-8-1914. He served at Gallipoli. The records are vague but he was evacuated from ANZAC in August 1915 suffering Shell Shock and neurological problems causing weakness in his legs. Following hospitalization in England he was returned to Australia and discharged medically unfit on 5-2-1917.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Bruce Lee, Wagga Wagga NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand Son

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