What Cpl. Davison suffered was beyond comprehension.

 What Cpl. Davison suffered was beyond comprehension

As November approaches we are setting up our special collection of memorabilia to honour our service personnel past and more recent.  

This November we highlight Rutherglen’s Corporal Norman Davidson, WW2 Prisoner of War.  Many of us remember Norm as he lived in Murphy Street. 

What Cpl. Davison suffered was beyond comprehension.  His Commanding Officer “Boots” Callaghan said it all with tears in his eyes on the pier watching his boys disembark and come home after being liberated.

  Boots Callaghan himself was a POW (Changi).  This wasn’t the end of their journey, they spent months and years in hospital recovering as best they could. 

 As we know today, they never recovered either physically or mentally.  

Cpl. Davidson was part of Gull Force, and along with Sparrow and Lark forces, some of the toughest, canniest and bravest of soldiers. 

 They had to be, there was only a handful that survived out of the hundreds who perished at the whim of their captors, the Japanese Imperial Army, Bakli Bay internment camps.  

Since researching Cpl. Davidson’s full story, he has held a very special place in my heart each Remembrance Day. 

 I found his story very difficult, profound and incredibly moving.  It is a story not to be forgotten!