The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. J Davis

Jack Davis was born on 9th May 1916 in Hereford and joined the RAF as an Aircraft Apprentice on 25th January 1933. He passed out on 30th January 1935 as a Clerk but later applied for pilot training and was accepted.

Davis joined 54 Squadron at Hornchurch on 9th August 1940.

Above: 54 Squadron's A Flight.

(pre-27th May 27th 1940 as F/Lt. Pearson was reported missing on that day)

L to R: F/ Lt Max Pearson, Sgt Jack Davis, P/O George Couzens, F/Lt James Leathart, F/O George Gribble, P/O Johnny Allen and P/O Alan Deere.

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On the 31st Davis, F/O AC Deere and P/O EF Edsall were caught in a bombing attack on Hornchurch as they look off. Davis's aircraft just cleared the boundary fence and then crashed in the River Ingrebourne.

Rescuers arrived to find an empty cockpit. Davis turned up some time later carrying his parachute. Having found no gap in the boundary fence he walked right round and came back in at the main gate.

His subsequent service is currently undocumented until he was commissioned in October 1942.

Davis was awarded the AFC (gazetted 3rd April 1945) and stayed in the postwar RAF.

He was awarded Aero Certificate 25302 on 12th November 1948 while stationed at Little Rissington.

Davis retired from the RAF on 6th June 1959 as a Squadron Leader.

He died in February 1989 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.