David Oswald Davies (alias Frazier) – Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 7th Battalion
Lance Sergeant David Oswald Davies (alias Frazier) – Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 7th Battalion
Birth and Family Background
David Oswald Davies was born in 1882 in Morriston,
Glamorgan. He was the son of Frederick Davies and Sarah Hannah Davies.
There appear to be no surviving official census records
for David himself. His parents are known to have been living at Holly
Cottage, Pontllass, Morriston, Swansea, which is believed to have been the
family home during his early life.
Emigration to Canada
At an unknown date, David emigrated to Canada,
settling in Edmonton, Alberta. While living in Canada, he was known by
the assumed name “Frazier”, under which he later enlisted for military
service.
Military Service
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| Attestation Papers |
Through active service on the Western Front, he rose to the
rank of Lance Sergeant, indicating experience and leadership gained
under combat conditions. The 7th Battalion, part of the 2nd
Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division, was a veteran
unit that had already seen heavy fighting at Ypres and on the Somme.
Battle of Hill 70 and Death in Action
On 15th August 1917, the 7th
Battalion took part in the opening phase of the Battle of Hill 70, a
major Canadian offensive near Lens, France. The attack was designed to
seize strategically vital high ground and draw German forces away from other
sectors of the front.
During the assault, David Oswald Davies was killed
in action while crossing No Man’s Land. He was shot through the
head as the battalion advanced under intense machine-gun and artillery
fire, reflecting the extreme danger faced by assaulting troops during the
battle.
Commemoration
David Oswald Davies has no known grave. He is commemorated
on the Vimy Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France, which bears the names of
Canadian soldiers who died in France and whose final resting places are
unknown.David Oswald Davies (alias Frazier)
Vimy Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France
credit - findagrave
His story reflects the experience of many Welsh-born
emigrants who served with the Canadian forces—men who travelled across
continents, sometimes under assumed names, and who lost their lives during some
of the most hard-fought battles of the First World War
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