Thomas Davies (British Army officer)
| Thomas Davies | |
|---|---|
| Born |
c. 1737 Shooter's Hill (London), England |
| Died | 16 March 1812 (aged 74–75) Blackheath (London), England |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/branch | Royal Artillery |
| Rank | Lieutenant-general |
| Battles/wars | |
Thomas Davies FRS FLS (c. 1737 – 16 March 1812) was a British Army officer, artist, and naturalist.
He was born c. 1737 in Shooter's Hill (London), England and died 16 March 1812 in Blackheath (London). He rose to the rank of Lieutenant-general in the Royal Artillery. He studied drawing and recorded military operations in water-colours during several military campaigns in North America. He later became a noted artist and naturalist. He was the first to illustrate and describe the superb lyrebird.
His work was not well known until after a 1953 auction from the Earl of Derby's library. His paintings were later shown as part of a major exhibition, 2 July – 4 September 1972, at the National Gallery of Canada.
Very little is known of his early life. In his will, he lists his father as David Davies from Shooter's Hill.
Davies began military service at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1755. There he received training in topographic drawing to provide detailed and accurate drawings for military use. By 1757 he became second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and began service abroad in Canada.
His earliest work is a drawing of Halifax during the failed Louisbourg expedition in 1757. The next year, he recorded the military operations during the Siege of Louisbourg, including the Expulsion of the Acadians.
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