Leslie Davidson

Davidson was born at Inchmarlo in Kincardineshire on 31 January 1850. His father was Patrick Davidson, a professor of civil law, while his mother was Mary Anne Leslie, daughter of William Leslie, 10th Laird of Warthill.[1] Deciding upon on a career in the British Army, he attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Davidson graduated top of his year in July 1869,[1] and was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery as a lieutenant.[2] Davidson was first posted to British India in 1874 and was appointed aide-de-camp to Lord Napier in November of the following year.[3] Returning to Britain, he played in a first-class cricket match in 1877 for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against Cambridge University at Fenner's.[4] Batting once in the match, he was dismissed without scoring by Henry Luddington.[5] Described by Wisden as a "a fine, free hitter",[6] prior to his appearance for the MCC he had played minor matches for Northamptonshire, five years prior to the formation of the county club.[7] He also represented the Royal Artillery in cricket, football, rackets and billiards.[6]

Davidson later saw action in South Africa in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, during which he was wounded in the final battle of the war at Ulundi.[1] He was promoted to captain in January 1880,[8] and in the same year he fought in the second phase of the Second Anglo-Afghan War.[1] Lord Napier was appointed Governor of Gibraltar in 1876, with Davidson once again becoming his aide-de-camp from December 1881 to December 1882.[3] Following this he returned to service in British India, where he was promoted to major and was seconded to the Indian Ordnance Department.[9] Further promotions in the Royal Horse Artillery followed in January 1896, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel,[10] and colonel in January 1900.[11] This coincided with his appointment to the staff of the Royal Artillery in South Africa during the Second Boer War.[12] He commanded the Royal Horse Artillery on their march to relieve Kimberley, and was present at several other engagements, including the Battles of Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, and Driefontein.[1] Davidson was mentioned in dispatches for distinguished actions during the war.[13] He vacated his position on the staff in January 1901, and was placed on the half-pay list,[14] but returned to the staff in October of the same year.[15] For his service in the war, he was decorated with the Queen's Medal, with four clasps.[16] In April 1901, he was made a Companion to the Order of the Bath.[17] Following the war, he returned to Britain where he was Colonel of the Staff commanding the Royal Artillery, North-Eastern District, before vacating the post and being placed on the half-pay list in October 1904.[18] Three years later, in January 1907, he retired from the army.[3][19]

Davidson was appointed to be a Gentleman Usher to George V in September 1913, following the death of Sir John Ramsay Slade.[1][19] When the First World War began in July 1914, Davidson came out of retirement to volunteer to serve in the conflict. He was sent to France to command No. 4 General Base Depot at Rouen.[1] While commanding the depot on 3 August 1915, he suffered a fatal heart attack attributed to "over-exertion".[6] He was the oldest first-class cricketer to die in the war, and one of the oldest British military casualties; though at 67 and 74 respectively, Henry Webber and Robert Robertson were older.[20][21] Davidson's body was not repatriated, instead he was buried with full military honours at St Sever Cemetery in Rouen.[1]

In 1887, Davidson married the Catholic Lady Theodora Keppel, daughter of William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle. Their marriage necessitated his conversion to Catholicism.[22] The couple would have six children: four daughters and two sons, Donald and Colin. Both sons would be killed in action, Donald in the First World War and Colin in the Second World War.[6]

• Leslie Davidson at ESPNcricinfo