Arthur Davidson (equerry)

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Colonel Sir Arthur Davidson GCVO KCB (1856–16 October 1922) was a British soldier and courtier.

Davidson was born in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, and educated at Henley Grammar School and Bute House School, Petersham. In September 1875 he was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant in the 4th Foot[1], but a year later transferred to the 60th Rifles[2] and was posted to the 2nd Battalion in India. Soon afterwards he was promoted Lieutenant. He took part in the Second Afghan War in 1878–1880 and was appointed ADC to Lieutenant-General Sir Donald Stewart, and later to Major-General Ross. He served in the Boer War in 1881 and fought at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir in 1882. In 1883 he was appointed Assistant Inspector of Army Signalling at Aldershot, a position he held until 1889,[3] with the temporary rank of Captain.[4] In 1885 he was promoted substantive Captain[5] and a month later promoted Brevet Major[6] in belated recognition of his services in Afghanistan five years earlier. He took part in the Bechuanaland expedition of 1885.

In 1890 Davidson was appointed ADC to Field Marshal The Duke of Cambridge.[7] He was promoted substantive Major in 1893[8] and Lieutenant-Colonel in 1895,[9] and on the duke's resignation as Commander-in-Chief later the same year entered the Royal Household as Groom in Waiting in Ordinary to the Queen.[10] He was promoted to Equerry in Ordinary in January 1896,[11] and continued to hold the position when King Edward VII acceded to the throne in 1901. He was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order 4th Class (MVO) in 1896,[12] Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1901,[13] and Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1902. He was promoted Brevet Colonel in 1902[14] and retired from the Army later the same year.[15] He later became Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse and Assistant Private Secretary to the King, while also remaining an Equerry. In 1906 he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO).[16] On Edward's death in 1910 he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the Accession Honours[17] and then appointed Extra Equerry to the King[18] and Equerry to Queen Alexandra,[19] holding both positions until his death. He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in the 1921 Birthday Honours.[20]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ London Gazette: no. 24358, page 4780, 29 August 1876.
  2. ^ London Gazette: no. 24358, page 4781, 29 August 1876.
  3. ^ London Gazette: no. 25950, page 3533, 2 July 1889.
  4. ^ London Gazette: no. 25222, page 2024, 17 April 1883.
  5. ^ London Gazette: no. 25484, page 2923, 26 June 1885.
  6. ^ London Gazette: no. 25492, page 3374, 21 July 1885.
  7. ^ London Gazette: no. 26048, page 2615, 6 May 1890.
  8. ^ London Gazette: no. 26443, page 5383, 22 September 1893.
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 26676, page 5923, 1 November 1895.
  10. ^ London Gazette: no. 26690, page 7300, 17 December 1895.
  11. ^ London Gazette: no. 26705, page 587, 31 January 1896.
  12. ^ London Gazette: no. 26791, page 6006, 3 November 1896.
  13. ^ London Gazette: no. 27285, page 1146, 15 February 1901.
  14. ^ London Gazette: no. 27476, page 6080, 23 September 1902.
  15. ^ London Gazette: no. 27479, page 6278, 3 October 1902.
  16. ^ London Gazette: no. 27913, page 3326, 15 May 1906.
  17. ^ London Gazette: no. 28380, page 3860, 31 May 1910.
  18. ^ London Gazette: no. 28383, page 4074, 10 June 1910.
  19. ^ London Gazette: no. 28418, page 6761, 23 September 1910.
  20. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 32346, page 4535, 4 June 1921.

[edit] References