Davis, Carl Raymond

Flight Lieutenant Carl Raymond Davis


He was born in South Africa to Carl and Clara May Davis, American citizens. When he was 13, his parents sent him to the United Kingdom, where he was to receive a good education. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Trinity Collage, Cambridge, and then continued his studies in Canada at McGill University in Montreal, where he earned a degree as a mining engineer. He then returned to Britain, and in 1932 was granted British citizenship. This, among other things, allowed him to join the RAF in 1936, Davies became a member of the 601 Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force, the so-called "weekend fliers". The unit was staffed by pilots who had normal jobs and flew in their spare time. Often these were young men from noble families or with a university education, who were looking for a break from their everyday activities.


At the squadron, among others, Davis met Sir Archibald Hope, 17th Baronet of Craighall, and soon married his sister Katharine Anne. And Hope in turn married Carl's sister Ruth.


At that time 601. Squadron was using a mixture of Demon and Hart aircraft, which were replaced by the more modern Gauntlet Mk.II in November 1938. At this time, the political situation in Europe was heating up and it seemed that "relaxing, weekend" flying might soon become war flying. However, this did not really happen until after 3 September 1939, when Great Britain declared war on Germany.


But by the time war broke out, the unit was again rearmed, flying a fighter version of the twin-engined Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF bomber from January. With these machines, it immediately began conducting patrol flights over the coast from its base at Biggin Hill.


But the unit did not conduct its first truly combat action until 28 November 1939. Six Blenheims from the 601st and six from the 25th Squadron were sent to attack the seaplane base at Borkum. The British arrived over the target at about 1530 and attacked everything they saw. The surprised Germans offered little resistance and all twelve aircraft landed safely at 17.55 at Debden, where the pilots, including Davis, reported the destruction of five aircraft, one gun emplacement and damage to other targets. The only damage they caused, however, was very light damage to two aircraft.


This was the only major operation the "Sixty-one" engaged in at Blenheim. Indeed, in March 1940, certainly much to the delight of the pilots, they began to rearm to the more powerful Hurricanes. With them, she then successfully intervened in the fighting over France and covered the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the port of Dunkirk. Davis's star, however, did not shine until the following Battle of Britain.


He earned his first scalp on 11 July, when he shot down a single fighter Bf 110 during his second combat flight that day. However, his most successful day was 13 August, the day the Germans launched their main attack against the British - Adlertag began.


The first took place early in the morning, just before seven o'clock, and the target of the pilots of several squadrons was a formation of Ju 88 A bombers, probably from KG 54. Only the "601" pilots claimed a 3-7-3 victory over the Junkers, Davis contributing one joint probable kill and one damage. KG 54 lost four machines but at least 11 other bombers returned with varying degrees of damage.


A second action took place around midday and "601" this time engaged escorting 100s between Swanage and Portland. With the loss of P/O Mayers' machine, which was rescued by parachute, the British scored 5 Bf 110s destroyed and 9 damaged. It was Davis who was the most successful, taking care of the demise of three heavy fighters.


It seems that their opponents came from V.(Z)/LG 1, among others, which lost four machines and several others suffered damage.


The last action took place in the afternoon around 4pm and this time the pilots of "601" attacked a German formation that was already returning to France. The British, however, were again met by escorting 100s and again there was a great melee, which again the British won. With no casualties of their own they claimed a 2-10-4 victory. Davis rounded off the day with one probable success and one damage.


Two days later, he extended his score by one Ju 88 and another aircraft of the same type humbled the 16th.


On 18 August, Davis took part in the massacre of the dive-bomber Stuk, which heralded a retreat from the glory of the type that had earned a reputation during the German blitzkrieg campaigns on the Continent. At around 1400 hours, a formation of more than 100 of these aircraft approached the shores of Britain. All available squadrons, including "601", were immediately sent into the air. Davis and his colleagues encountered the Germans around Selsey. They attacked hard and relentlessly. Within moments, six dive-bombers were streaming down. Several escorting Bf 109 tried to intervene on their behalf, and managed to shoot down Sgt. L. N. Guy's R4191, killing him. Davis and F/O Rhodes-Moorhouse countered for "601", each destroying one of the 100s. In addition, Davis had 1 1/2 of the downed Stukas.


The Ju 87 crews went through a real purgatory that day. A total of 13 Junkers did not return, three others were damaged beyond repair. Many other aircraft were damaged.


On the last day of August, Davis probably shot down another Bf 110, closing his score on September 4.


That day the squadron took off to intercept an enemy formation that was returning after completing its mission. The pilots of "601" were again caught in the crossfire with the 100s. These were machines from units ZG 2, ZG 76, V.(Z)/LG 1 and Erp.Gr. 210, which were to draw the British away from the main attacking formation. And they paid dearly for it. "601" was one of the last squadrons to engage the Germans and the pilots reported 2 certain and 2 probable victories. They also claimed two Do 17 and one Do 215, but these types were often confused with the Bf 110. One of the certain victories was scored by Davis.


The Zerstörer units had a really black day, with a total of 15 heavy fighters not returning to their bases, and other machines damaged.


For his achievements so far, Davis was 30. On August 30, 1940, he was decorated with the esteemed DFC, and there was a report that he would be promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant, which would solidify his position as commander of one of the squadrons of the squadron he had just taken over. However, the confirmation decree that this had indeed happened on 3 September never reached him.


On the morning of 6 September 1940, "601" took off to repel another of the enemy air raids. However, in the vicinity of Mayfield, the pilots encountered escorting stevedores. A fierce battle broke out, after which, although the British fighters reported six Bf 109s shot down, they paid for it with the loss of four Hurricanes. Of the V6647 and P3382, although their pilots, P/O Gilbert and F/O Topolnicki, bailed out wounded, the pilots of the other two, F/Lt Davis (P3363/UF-W) and F/Lt Rhodes-Moorhouse (P8818), were not so lucky.


Davis's aircraft crashed into the garden of a house in Matfield, Brenchley, near Tunbridge Wells, at 9.30am and burned up. The pilot died in its wreckage.


His remains are now buried in Storrington Cemetery, West Sussex, near his family's home. He died aged 29.


References:
Foreman, J: Fighter Command War Diaries, vol. 1, Air Research Pub. of Walton-onThames 2002
Franks, N.: Fighter Command Losses os Second World War, vol. 1, Midland Publishing, Leicester 2000
Ramsey, W. (Ed.): The Battle of Britain Then and Now (Mk.V), After the Battle, Old Harlow 2006
Shores C., Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994
Shores C., Ehrengardt C.-J. et al: The Beginning of the Road, Mustang, Pilsen, 1996
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Raymond_Davis
http://www.bbm.org.uk/as-davis.htm
www.cwgc.org
www.wikipedia.org

Tabulka vítězství C. R. Davise





Celkem: 9+1-4+1-4 vítězství


Pramen:
Shores C., Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994