A/WO1 Peter Davidson
Peter Davidson was the SSM of 54 Support Sqn RE. He was the Acting RSM of the Post Crown Force during the final stages of the Post Crown Road project. He oversaw the training up of a volunteer Corps of Drums and Fifes. These volunteer's were drawn from 54 Sqn, they were plant operator's, storemen and various other tradesmen. They trained in their limited spare time as the force was working seven day's a week to meet the deadline for the hand over. The images right are thought to have been taken early in the training of the band. |
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Peter Davidson can be seen in the first three images addressing band members, presumably, to iron out faults in their performance. The rollover here shows the band in what would appear to be a Dress Rehearsal. The band are parading outside the Crown guardroom and the shadow's show it's early evening.The photographer for these two rehearsal's was Jack Compton, Jack was working with the Surveyor's at the Nong Phoc end of the road. Luckily for us he was able to get back to Crown to record these images for posterity. |
Peter Davidson must have had many highlights in his career. There are two that must have ranked right up there which I present to you now. The image right shows Peter leading the Honour Guard in the salute to Air Chief Marshal Dawee Chullasapya as he leaves Nong Phoc circa May 1968. The rollover image shows Peter as RSM for the first Royal Engineers Regiment to take on the duty of mounting the guard for HM Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
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| Fortunately Peter owned a Cine 8 camera and it was used to film the hand over ceremony of the Post Crown Road. The edited version of the Parade can be viewed HERE. Peter Davidson's son has given me a brief synopsis of his father's life and career. "My Father was born into a British Army family in 1931 in Secunderabad India, where his father was serving as a cavalryman with 1st The Royal Dragoons. The family returned to the United Kingdom just before the start of the second World War and the settled in Luton where they stayed for the duration of the war. Peter went into an apprenticeship as a marine pump fitter upon leaving school before being called up for National Service. He thought that his skills would be made best use of but no, he was allocated to Bomb Disposal and went off to Felixstowe to learn his nerve-wracking new job with some mad Ukrainians. He was sent to Egypt to help clear the World War 2 minefields that littered the North African desert. It was in the early 1950s that he met the love of his life Pat and they married. Not long after the wedding, Peter was sent back to the Middle East and eventually pitched up via the Canal Zone in Tripoli Libya. Further tours followed in Germany (twice), Chepstow at the Apprentice College and the Far East. While in Singapore, Peter served as the SSM of 54 (Farelf) Support Sqn, but it was as acting WO1 (RSM) that he served in Thailand, where the Royal Engineers built a road and airfield for the local population in North East Thailand. Peter’s final tour with the colours was as the RSM of 36 Engineer Regiment in Maidstone. Prior to retirement, Peter had the honour of being the RSM for the first Royal Engineers Regiment to take on the duty of Mounting the Guard for HM Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace". Peter Davidson R I P |
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