Colonel Sir Jonathan Roberts Davidson (29 May 1874 – 21 June 1961) was a British civil engineer and army officer.Entry at National Portrait Gallery
/ref> Davidson pursued a professional career as an engineer which resulted in him being elected president of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and of the

Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers The Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers was founded in England in 1771. It was the first engineering society to be formed anywhere in the world, and remains the oldest. It was originally known as the Society of Civil Engineers, being renamed fo ...

. He also served as an officer in the Territorial Force where he saw combat as a battalion commander in the First World War with the

Liverpool Scottish The Liverpool Scottish, known as "the Scottish", was a unit of the British Army, part of the Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army), raised in 1900 as an infantry battalion of the King's (Liverpool Regiment). The Liverpool Scottish became af ...

and was twice wounded in action.

Early life

Davidson was born in 1874 at Liverpool in Merseyside. Although an engineer by profession Davidson also served as an officer in the British Army's Volunteer Force. His was first commissioned as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the 8th (Scottish) Volunteer Battalion of the King's Regiment (Liverpool) on 6 February 1901. He received promotion to Lieutenant on 22 November of the same year. Davidson was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on 7 March 1903.

First World War

When the Volunteer Force was reorganised into the Territorial Force on 1 April 1908 Davidson remained with the

, now numbered the "10th", whilst retaining his rank and precedence. He was promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and subsequently held the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel and command of the battalion from 1914 to 1917. During this time the battalion was called up for regular service in the First World War during August 1914, leaving Britain for Belgium on 1 November 1914. Davidson and the Liverpool Scottish spent much of 1914 and 1915 in trenches in the Ypres area.Brief History of the Liverpool Scottish
During the spring of 1915, whilst at Zillebeeke, Davidson used his civilian engineering expertise to significantly improve his battalion's trenches. Davidson was himself injured during the attack on Bellewaarde Farm on 24–25 May 1915 in the Second Battle of Ypres. During this period Davidson was appointed a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

and his temporary rank was confirmed as substantive on 29 May 1916 with precedence of 19 June 1915. Whilst personally rallying the battalion during the

Battle of Guillemont The Battle of Guillemont (3–6 September 1916) was an attack, during the Battle of the Somme in the First World War, by the British Fourth Army against the German 2nd Army near the village of Guillemont in northern France. The village is on ...

in the

Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), a ...

area in 1916 Davidson was once again wounded in action. The battalion's medical officer, Noel Chavasse, was also wounded during the battle whilst rescuing injured soldiers and in doing so won the unit's first Victoria Cross (VC).Chavasse biography
Chavasse would subsequently win their second and last VC at the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. Davidson spent the remainder of the year convalescing and returned to the battalion in 1917.. Later that year he left the unit and returned to Liverpool where he became that city's Chief Engineer. Davidson temporarily held command of a battalion of the Norfolk Regiment from 14 November 1917. He then transferred back to the Territorial Force Reserves on 9 March 1918, retaining his rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He relinquished his army commission during demobilisation on 30 September 1921, retaining his rank and being entitled to continue to wear his uniform. After the war he was also awarded the Territorial Decoration for his service.

Post-war

After the war, Davidson joined the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, an unpaid volunteer unit providing engineering expertise to the British army. He was promoted to colonel of that corps on 10 August 1938. Davidson was knighted by

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

on 10 February 1942. He was elected president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the highest authority in his profession, for the November 1948 to November 1949 session. He was also a member of the

from 1937 and was elected their president in 1955. Davidson died in 1961. The

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: *National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra *National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London, with s ...

holds five photographic portraits of Davidson in their archives. The William Girling Reservoir in Chingford was built to a design by Davidson.William Girling reservoir
Retrieved 26 November 2008

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Jonathan British civil engineers Presidents of the Institution of Civil Engineers Presidents of the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers 1874 births 1961 deaths British Army personnel of World War I Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Liverpool Scottish officers Royal Norfolk Regiment officers Knights Bachelor Engineer and Railway Staff Corps officers Military personnel from Liverpool