Ernest George William Davidson

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Commander Ernest George William Davidson (8 June, 1874 – 6 October, 1918) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Davidson was born, perhaps, in Bermuda. He gained five months' time on passing out of Britannia in December, 1889. On 27 February, 1890, he received his first naval appointment, to Undaunted in the Mediterranean.[1]

On 31 August, 1893, Davidson was moved to the Ruby in the Training Squadron. On 14 December, 1893 Davidson was invalided from H.M.S. Ruby with facial fractures sustained during a football match.[2]

Davidson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1897.[3]

Davidson was appointed in command of the destroyer Lightning on 27 April, 1905.[4]

He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1910.[5]

Davidson was appointed in command of the destroyer Lyra on 7 September, 1912.[6]

Davidson left Lyra when he was appointed to the battleship Zealandia on 16 April, 1915. His appointment ended on 27 August, 1916 when he was considered for command of the light cruiser Newcastle. Instead, he was appointed in command of the armed merchant cruiser Otranto on 3 September, 1916.

Davidson was killed when H.M.S. Otranto was wrecked on 6 October, 1918. Before he died, he coordinated a heroic rescue operation with the intrepid destroyer Mounsey that saved many of the American troops aboard the vessel.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Vincent L. Bowring
Captain of H.M.S. Lightning
27 Apr, 1905[7][8] – 29 Dec, 1905[9]
Succeeded by
Claude Seymour
Preceded by
Oscar M. Makins
Captain of H.M.S. Bramble
15 Mar, 1906[10] – 10 Mar, 1908[11]
Succeeded by
Richard O. B. Bridgeman
Preceded by
Henry B. Gellibrand
Captain of H.M.S. Speedwell
22 Sep, 1908[12][13] – 16 Jan, 1911[14]
Succeeded by
William C. O'G. Cochrane
Preceded by
Lewis G. E. Crabbe
Captain of H.M.S. Lyra
7 Sep, 1912[15][16] – 16 Apr, 1915[17]
Succeeded by
The Hon. Cyril A. Ward
Preceded by
Herbert MacI. Edwards
Captain of H.M.S. Otranto
3 Sep, 1916[18] – 6 Oct, 1918[19]
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost

Footnotes

  1. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  2. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  3. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  4. The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 341.
  5. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 22.
  6. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 352.
  7. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  8. The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 341.
  9. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  10. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  11. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  12. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  13. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 377.
  14. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  15. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  16. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 395q.
  17. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.
  18. The Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 401v.
  19. Davidson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/20. f. 21.


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