The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. W L Davis

William Lance Davis was born on 19th March 1919 and joined the RAFVR about October 1938 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he completed his training at 5 FTS Sealand and arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 6th July 1940 to convert to Hurricanes.

Above: 249 Squadron - P/O Crossey, P/O WL Davis and P/O HJJ Beazley

He joined 249 Squadron on 5th August. He was with the squadron throughout the Battle of Britain.

Commissioned in February 1941, Davis was shot down on the 10th of that month in Hurricane I V7171 on Circus 4 (escorting Blenheims to Dunkirk) by Me109s.

He was captured and spent the rest of the war as a PoW.

Postwar he was a director of the Hinckley Building Society.

Davis died in March 1984 in Leicestershire.