Grace O'Malley pays tribute to Scots Guards D-Day veteran and Legion d’Honneur recipient Ted Davidson

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Grace O’Malley, the little girl who captured the hearts of local people with her prodigious singing voice at Remembrance Day services, is grieving the loss of her adopted ‘grandfather’, veteran Ted Davidson who has died at the age of 99.

Grace, who is now a 27-year-old professional opera singer in London, has told the Burnley Express the remarkable story of how she and her family formed an unbreakbale bond with Ted, which began nearly two decades ago when she sang ‘Abide With Me’ at the Padiham Remembrance Service.

“My family and I recently lost a true hero. My grandad Ted was the greatest gift, the light of my life, and my best friend. I have no idea how to navigate life without him,” a heartbroken Grace said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Our story began when I was nine-years-old and singing at Padiham’s Remembrance Day service. Ted had lost his wife Dorothy in 2005 and was feeling very down and lonely.

Padiham's Scots Guards veteran Ted Davidson with his adopted family Maureen and Grace O'Malley from RawtenstallPadiham's Scots Guards veteran Ted Davidson with his adopted family Maureen and Grace O'Malley from Rawtenstall
Padiham's Scots Guards veteran Ted Davidson with his adopted family Maureen and Grace O'Malley from Rawtenstall

“He heard me singing Abide With Me and it moved him so much he contacted the Burnley Express to put him in touch. My mum Maureen had just lost her dad so it felt like fate had brought us all together.

“He would ring once a week and see us at Remembrance events. Over the coming years Ted became an integral part of our family. I gained a grandfather and my mum gained a dad.

“He believed in me as a singer and was so proud of how my career progressed. He changed our lives and I think we changed his.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Read More
Ted recalls the painful loss of life

Ted, who was born on the Wirral and grew up in Edinburgh, lived a remarkable life. He served in the Scots Guards during the Second World War where he saw action at D-Day, landing on Sword Beach with the 6th Guards Tank Brigade around day 18 of Operation Overlord.

In 2020, in honour of his service, Ted was made a Legion d’Honneur by the French Government, 75 years after the D-Day landings, and received the medal during a poignant ceremony at Towneley Hall.

After the war ended, he undertook two years of Royal duties at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace guarding the Queen, before joining the police force in the Midlands and marrying his late wife Dorothy.

The couple later settled in Padiham, and Ted worked for 10 years at Burnley Football Club where he was in charge of the training ground at Gawthorpe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Grace’s mum Maureen also paid tribute, saying: “As Grace has said, Ted became a loving part of our family. He spent Christmas and New Year with us for the last 18 years.

“He still lived in the home with Dorothy in Padiham, and I would ring him every day and try to visit as often as I could. I have two other daughters, Laura and Megan, who have two children of their own, and who Ted was proud to be great-grandfather to. The youngest, Martha, was born last September, and Ted was so happy to hold her.

“Our one regret was that he didn’t live to be 100 and receive his telegram from the King. He was a true gentleman.”

Ted’s funeral will be held at Burnley Crematorium on February 18th at 3-15pm when Grace will sing Abide With Me.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1886
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice