Carl Raymond Davis
Encyclopedia
Carl Raymond Davis DFC
(1911 – 1940) was a flying ace
of the Battle of Britain
, having claimed nine enemy aircraft (and one shared) destroyed, four (and one shared) probably destroyed, and four damaged, before he was himself shot down and killed in action
.
, Transvaal in South Africa to American parents, Davis was educated in England at Sherborne School
, and Trinity College, Cambridge
(Bachelor of Arts
) and at McGill University
, Montreal
(Bachelor of Arts
qualifying as a mining engineer). Becoming a British citizen in 1932 His wife was Anne, sister of Sir Archibald Hope
of 601 Squadron (Hope was in turn married to Carl's sister Ruth.) Obtaining his mining degree, he then took flying lessons in New Jersey while living with his sister.
Returning to the UK in 1935, Davis then lived in London
and joined 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force
at Hendon
, being commissioned in August 1936 (Service Number 90131).
that attacked the German seaplane base at Borkum
. On 11 July 1940, he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110
, and he added two more Bf 110s on 11 August 1940 and three more Bf 110s on the 13th. Davis was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
on 30 August 1940:
Davis downed five more aircraft before being killed in action when his Hawker Hurricane
I (P3363) was shot down in combat with a Messerschmitt Bf 109
over Tunbridge Wells at 09:30 hrs, 6 September 1940. Davis crashed, inverted, with his aircraft burned out in the back garden of Canterbury Cottage at Matfield, Brenchley, near Tunbridge Wells.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(1911 – 1940) was a flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, having claimed nine enemy aircraft (and one shared) destroyed, four (and one shared) probably destroyed, and four damaged, before he was himself shot down and killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
.
Early years
Born in KrugersdorpKrugersdorp, Gauteng
Krugersdorp is a mining city with between 378,821 and 408,065 inhabitants in the West Rand of the Gauteng province of South Africa. Krugersdorp was founded in 1887 by Marthinus Pretorius and named after Paul Kruger....
, Transvaal in South Africa to American parents, Davis was educated in England at Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
, and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
(Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
) and at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
(Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
qualifying as a mining engineer). Becoming a British citizen in 1932 His wife was Anne, sister of Sir Archibald Hope
Hope Baronets
There have been four Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Hope, three in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. one creation is extant, one dormant and two extinct....
of 601 Squadron (Hope was in turn married to Carl's sister Ruth.) Obtaining his mining degree, he then took flying lessons in New Jersey while living with his sister.
Returning to the UK in 1935, Davis then lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and joined 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force
No. 601 Squadron RAF
No. 601 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in London. The squadron battle honours most notably include the Battle of Britain and the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of this squadron.-History:...
at Hendon
Hendon Aerodrome
Hendon Aerodrome was an aerodrome in Hendon, north London, England that, between 1908 and 1968, was an important centre for aviation.It was situated in Colindale, seven miles north west of Charing Cross. It nearly became "the Charing Cross of the UK's international air routes", but for the...
, being commissioned in August 1936 (Service Number 90131).
Second World War
Davis was called to full-time service on 27 August 1939 and, on 27 November 1939, flew one of the six 601 Squadron BlenheimsBristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
that attacked the German seaplane base at Borkum
Borkum
Borkum is an island and a municipality in the Leer District in Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany.-Geography:Borkum is bordered to the west by the Westerems strait , to the east by the Osterems strait, to the north by the North Sea, and to the south by the Wadden Sea...
. On 11 July 1940, he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
, and he added two more Bf 110s on 11 August 1940 and three more Bf 110s on the 13th. Davis was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
on 30 August 1940:
Davis downed five more aircraft before being killed in action when his Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
I (P3363) was shot down in combat with a Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
over Tunbridge Wells at 09:30 hrs, 6 September 1940. Davis crashed, inverted, with his aircraft burned out in the back garden of Canterbury Cottage at Matfield, Brenchley, near Tunbridge Wells.
See also
- List of Battle of Britain pilots
- Non-British personnel in the RAF during the Battle of Britain
- List of Flying Aces in the Battle of Britain