The Airmen's Stories - S/Ldr. J A Davies

John Alfred Davies was born in December 1913 in London. His father was Sir Alfred Thomas Davies CBE DL JP (MP for Lincoln 1918-24) and his mother Lady Joanna Elizabeth Davies (nee Lewis), both of Welsh extraction.

JA Davies was serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the early thirties in the 1st City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) (TA). He resigned his commission on 1st October 1934 and joined 604 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force at Hendon in March 1935.

He married Rita Winteringham, of Hull, in St. Augustines Church there on 19th September 1936 (below).

Davies was taken into full-time service on 24th August 1939 and was serving with 604 as a Flight Commander.

The sixth meeting of the Anglo-French Supreme War Council was held in London on 28th March 1940 with Britain represented by the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, with Lord Halifax, Winston Churchill, Oliver Stanley and Sir Kingsley Wood. It was the first to be attended by Paul Reynaud, the new French Prime Minister, who was accompanied by César Campinchi, the Naval Minister, Victor Laurent-Eynac the Aviation Minister, M. Charles Corbin (the French Ambassador), M. Alexis Léger, General Maurice Gamelin, Admiral Darlan, General Joseph Vuillemin and General Koeltz.

The Dewoitine D338 aircraft carrying the French delegation home was escorted to Dieppe/St. Aubin airfield by Blue section of 604 Squadron, three Blenheims led by Davies in L6728 with crewmen P/O RH Scott and Sgt. Walker.

Above (L to R): F/Lt. AS Hunter, Davies, unknown.

Davies was attached to 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 7th September 1940, converted to Hurricanes and was posted on the 18th to command 308 (Polish) Squadron, then being formed at Squires Gate.

On 16th October 1940 Davies was killed after striking a barrage balloon cable above Coventry, when it was obscured by cloud. His Hurricane, P3999, dived into the ground at Whitley Stadium.

He is buried in St Nectan's churchyard, Hartland by Stoke, Devon.

His father, often in poor health, died in 1941 aged 60. His mother died in 1966 aged 82. Both lie in the same churchyard.

(The Vicar of Woolsery (Hartland), the Rev. Emrys Llewellyn Lewis, was the brother of Lady Davies and presumably arranged the necessary permissions).

(Above) - the original CWGC marker is preserved inside the church.