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  #1  
Old 30-01-11, 08:41 AM
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Default Gallipoli Commonwealth Collection

These badges (please see Album with same title) I believe were collected around the time of the Gallipoli campaign or shortly there after.

I think that they were put together by Major (later) George Davidson, Royal Army Medical Corps whilst serving with the 89th (1st Highland) Field Ambulance as part of 29th Division.

George Davidson was a medical graduate from the University of Aberdeen in 1908 and served as a Lt. at Gallipoli and promoted to Captain after 6 months field service. He served throughout the war with the 29th Division through Gallipoli, Beaumont Hamel, Arras and Third Battle of Ypres. He was MID in General Hamilton's first despatch from Gallipoli.

George Davidson is perhaps best known for his wartime diary published as "The Incomparable 29th and the "River Clyde"" which is publicly available as a pdf file.

His description of the landing by the men of the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers, 1st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers, 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers from his vantage point on the "River Clyde" and then W (Lancashire) beach is a Gallipoli classic with the 1st Bn. LF winning 6 VCs before breakfast.

The badges were privately acquired and came attached to a card with felt and were attached with surgical sutures. His named St John Ambulance medal was with them.

It is only circumstancial I know that these are his but when you review the units badges represented it agrees pretty well with units serving at Gallipoli.

Comments welcomed and identification appreciated as always. Ray Westlakes book on the "Britsih Regiments at Gallipoli" has been a valuable resource.

George Davidson retired to private practice after the war and their is a fitting Obituary published in the British Medical Journal upon his death at 90 in 1975.

A wonderful historical legacy, please enjoy as I have researching them and this out-standing soldier, regards Dr Dean Moss.
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File Type: jpg IMG_0816.jpg (39.3 KB, 47 views)
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  #2  
Old 30-01-11, 09:51 AM
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Hi dean
A really nice selection of badges.
It looks like you have several Australian items but i think the 3rd light horse badge (with the enamelled bird) is post war collar badge. Circa 1930s. Would be good to see a closer pic.
BC
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  #3  
Old 30-01-11, 10:06 AM
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The Rifle brigade appears to be post WW1 too.

Has the Lancashier Fusiliers got a blank scroll?
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  #4  
Old 30-01-11, 10:37 AM
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I'm afraid you're mistaken Alan regarding the RB, definitely the correct badge for the period.

As Suggested by Dean, have a look at the album and you'll see that he has taken the time trouble to upload invidual photos of the badges.

Nice to see them Dean, thanks for sharing them.

Regards to all.

Ry
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  #5  
Old 30-01-11, 10:45 AM
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what a great collaction of badges you have there and a great story to
go with them
regards paj1
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  #6  
Old 30-01-11, 10:52 AM
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Thanks all for comments and corrections thus far.

The Lancashire Fusiliers is indeed blank scroll and indeed go to the uploaded album for details, will upload rest of buttons and shoulder titles over coming days.

Have corrected RB badge as K&K 705 and the LH collar looks post WW1 but not my strong point.

T 4 YORK title is right period but was 50th Tyne and Tees Division so not at Gallipoli or Egypt so had to come from time in UK or more likely Flanders later in the war.

Lots of corrections no doubt to emerge but half the fun of sharing and learning, thanks again. Dean.
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  #7  
Old 30-01-11, 10:58 AM
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Yes having seen the enlarged photo it is the Ww1 version. An interesting collection. The LF TF badge is also theatre made.
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Old 30-01-11, 11:09 AM
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Hi Dean,
Lovely collection, well done for getting it & thanks for showing it, great to see, all the best,
Wilf.
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  #9  
Old 30-01-11, 11:22 AM
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Nice to see a first pattern NZ Maori Battalion hat badge, this pattern is very rare and certainly fits with Gallipoli.
The NZ Rifle Brigade badge, well they started arriveing in Egypt in late October 1915.
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Old 30-01-11, 11:37 AM
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Thanks for the information on the Maori badge, it was one I recognized as being scarce and of the Gallipoli period.

I think he started mounting the badges from the bottom during WW1 and at the top he added them post war of units he may have remembered. There was a GVI Australian Engineers badge pinned as well.

As a medical officer he certainly encountered many units in the field and many are mentioned by him in his diary.

Cheers and again thanks all for interest, I am delighted they have interested others, Dean.
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Old 31-01-11, 12:01 AM
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The 3rd Light Horse would be 1930s/early 1940s.

The 3rd Australian Infantry battalion badge is pre WW1.

Mick
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  #12  
Old 31-01-11, 05:19 PM
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Hi Dean, and others,
Thanks for showing your collection, a very interesting lot.
As Brent has said, the New Zealand Rifle Brigade did not arrive in Egypt until late 1915 and did not see action at Gallipoli.
I believe that your small star and crescent badge was worn by the Egyptian Labour Corps. I have one given to me by a nurse who served in Egypt. She obtained it from one of her patients.
Cheers, Tinto
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  #13  
Old 01-02-11, 11:48 AM
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Thanks Tinto,

I had assumed it was Berkshire Yeomanry collar from searching on the forum as I had thought it was their regimental device. Thanks for the correction, I shall amend and same for NZ Rifle Brigade.

Cheers Dean - posting some buttons from collection as well.
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  #14  
Old 25-06-11, 05:16 AM
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Default Capt. George Davidson

Hi mooke 07. George was my Grandfather and served at Galipoli at age 47 or there abouts - apparently he was slightly too old to serve so he lied about his age. He died in 1945 I think (I was born in 1953) so there may be some confusion regarding the George Davidson who died in 1975. Unfortunately, my mother - his only child from his second marriage - died in 1990 so I'm struggling to find out his birth and death dates. My brother has his original diaries including of his time in France which I'm currently attempting to have published. He was a great collector and my family still have many of these items but I have no knowledge of his possession of the badges - though it may be the case.

George was a Doctor in Torphins, Aberdeenshire and seems to have administered to Staff at Balmoral Castle - I have a hand-written Christmas card from the King and Queen in 1936.

Regards, Peter
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Old 25-06-11, 09:26 AM
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Hi Peter,

How terrific to hear from you. I made a collosal assumption when I found the obituary of a Dr George Davidson in the British Medical Journal in 1975. The obituary had him as born in 1885 in Buchan, Aberdeenshire and graduating in medicine from Aberdeen in 1908. It talked of his service with the RAMC at Gallipoli and France and moving to Ealing and dying in 1975 at 90. He was married and survived by two sons and two daughters. You can see how it fits.

I had read that and assumed it was Major George Davidson of the River Clyde book. That book was written and published in about 1922 at Torphin, Aberdeenshire.

I am sorry to have confused the George Davidson.

Be great if you could indeed clear it up, look forward to following it through with you and again thanks so much for getting in touch, regards Dean.
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