Norman Gordon Davidson (1917 - 2006)

Born 7 Mar 1917 in Nireaha, Wairarapa, New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Aileen Rasha (Blofeld) Davidson — married 26 Oct 1949 in Amman, Jordan

Descendants

Died 24 Aug 2006 at age 89 in Paraparaumu, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Keith Davidson [send private message]

Biography

Gordon was born in 1917 in Nireaha, near Eketahuna in the Wairarapa in New Zealand. While christened Norman Gordon Davidson, as his father was Norman, he became known as Gordon.

He was educated at Te Horo School and Otaki College. He was a competitive tennis and squash player and a keen cricketer and hockey player.

In 1938 her travelled to the UK, and on the toss of a coin, decided to join the Palestine Police (the other choice would have been to volunteer for the RAF). He served in the Palestine Police from 8 April 1939 to 15 May 1948, and was ranked Sergeant at that time.

He married Aileen Rasha Blofeld on 26th and 28th October 1949, one of the marriages was a civil ceremony as christian marriages were not recognised in Jordan at that time.

He served in the (British) Arab Legion from 1948 to about 1956, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. As well as the British medals for war service, he received the Wisam al Istiqlal (Peace Medal) from the King of Jordan, which was endorsed by Queen Elizabeth II on 27 February 1956.

Both the Palestine Police and Arab Legion roles were primarily aimed at peacekeeping, as huge unrest was occurring with the establishment of the state of Israel, and the failure to simultaneously create the state of Palestine and the Corpus Seperatum for Jerusalem.

After the British military were dismissed from Jordan, he returned to NZ, initially in Paraparaumu, then in an old family home at 194 Milton Street, Nelson from January to August 1958, at which time the family moved to 115 Harris Crescent in Christchurch. In 1965 the family moved to 14 Canterbury Street, Karori, Wellington,

He served with the NZ SIS from 5 August 1958 until his retirement on 30 March 1979.

In retirement, Aileen and Gordon shifted to Paraparaumu in June 1982, initially to 63 Eatwell Avenue, and then to 13 Sunburst Court in about 1990.

^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Personal recollection of events witnessed by Keith Davidson as remembered 11 Sep 2018.