Private Wilson Davis #21460, 10th Battalion

Photo by Bob Richardson 2014

Born on January 19, 1876 in Sedgeberrow, Worcestershire, England son of George and Christiana (Winnett) Davis of Birmingham, England. At enlistment details were shown to be as follows: laborer, single, 5' 8" tall, fair complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair, religion Church of England.

Enlisted in the 11th Battalion, "D" Coy on September 23, 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec. The 11th Battalion were raised from mostly North Saskatchewan militia units therefore we have assumed that Wilson Davis was working or farming in North Saskatchewan. We found a listing in the Canada Land Grants database for this man showing he tried homesteading Fort Pitt Meridian 3, SE Section 5, Township 52, Range 16 "The Standard Trusts Co.for late Wilson Davis". The 11th Battalion traveled to England with the 1st Contingent training winter 1914-15 on the Salisbury Plain. Late January 1915 the decision was made to use the 11th Battalion as a reinforcement battalion for existing units. Therefore Private Davis was transferred to the 10th (Alberta) Battalion in Lark Hill Camp on January 1, 1915. He was with this battalion when they embarked fro France on February 11, 1915. The 10th Battalion first entered the front lines on February 22.

Killed in action on February 25, 1915. On February 25 at 16:45, "C" and "D" Companies entered the line near Ploegsteert, training with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. The war diaries states"21460 Pte.W Davis was KIA and buried with Dublin Fusiliers men at 27.19B.20A. This location became Prowse Point Military Cemetery. I believe Private Wilson Davis was the first man from the 10th Battalion to be killed in action and one of the first Canadians in the 1st Canadian Division.

His attestation  paper and service record can be found HERE
His Veteran Affairs Canada Virtual Memorial page ca be found HERE