GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY 35
A Second World War D.S.C. group of five attributed to Lieutenant P. J. W. Davies, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, a gallant Fleet Air Arm pilot who was credited with at least one “kill” while operating in Wildcats off the carrier Campania on Arctic convoys
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS,
G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1945’, hallmarks for London 1947, in Garrard, London, case of issue; 1939-45 STAR; ATLANTIC STAR; DEFENCE ANDWARMEDALS 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, this fitted with reverse brooch for wear in uniform, extremely fine (5)
£1000-1400
D.S.C. London Gazette 19 April 1945: ‘For outstanding courage, determination and skill while escorting a convoy to and from North Russia under continuous and fierce attacks by the enemy and in exceptionally hard weather conditions.’
M.I.D. London Gazette 3 April 1945.
Peter James William Davies was born in Ruthin, Wales, in July 1923, and volunteered for the Fleet Air Arm in December 1941. He went out to Canada for pilot training, and having gained his “Wings” returned to the U.K. in September 1943. Appointed a Sub Lieutenant (A.), he was subsequently posted to No. 813 (F.A.A.) Squadron, on the carrier H.M.S. Campania.
One of of a handful of Wildcat pilots in the Squadron, he was actively engaged on the Arctic run over the coming months, and was credited with an enemy aircraft destroyed on 13 November 1944, for which accomplishment he was mentioned in despatches.
Luckily for posterity’s sake, his own account of the action for which he was later awarded the D.S.C. in February 1944, during Convoy JW-64, survives - an action in which fellow Wildcat pilot, Lieutenant (A.) J. A. Quigg, R.N.Z.N.V.R., was shot down, and Davies fortunate to get back to the Campania with a damaged engine:
‘It wasn't long before I spotted an 88 low on the water coming towards us. Lieutenant Quigg, just as I saw this, reported six more. We dived on the leader and the rest broke up and went into cloud. We carried out several attacks and the 88 disappeared into cloud, the starboard engine smoking ... I saw an 88 right down on the water with a Wildcat in hot pursuit. The aircraft had been evidently hit and its starboard engine was smoking. I saw Lieutenant Quigg finish his attack and on the breakaway heard him report he'd run out of ammunition and had been hit. I came in on the starboard quarter and from above and broke off almost dead astern. It was in this attack that my aircraft was hit. I'd seen a lot of tracer coming from the 88 and suddenly there was a bump and a flash. As the aircraft had not been badly damaged I came in once more from the starboard quarter and the 88 pulled up into cloud, its starboard engine on fire. As my ammunition had run out I was told to return 'home' where I was rather too warmly welcomed [by our own fire] ... By this time the engine was coughing unhealthily, especially after I was waved round the first time I made a pass at the deck. The second time I came in the engine cut twice on the approach, so I reckoned this time I'd land or be picked up out of the 'oggin’. At least, I'm glad to say the aircraft was unserviceable before I hit the barrier.’
Quigg was fished out of the water by a passing destroyer, and Davies had his portrait in oils painted by Sub. Lieutenant Maskens in the ward room during the return voyage - a portrait titled ‘Peter Davies - Fighter Pilot’ and later exhibited in London.
Davies’ later service included a voyage to Colombo and back, with a stay in South Africa on the return journey, as Lieutenant (Deck Landing Officer) in the aircraft-carrier Trouncer. Tragically, however, he was killed in a traffic accident during 1946, as a result of which his D.S.C. was sent to his next of kin.
Sold together with the recipient’s riband bar for the first three awards; an original printed ‘In Memoriam’ booklet; and various copied research.
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302 |
Page 303 |
Page 304 |
Page 305 |
Page 306 |
Page 307 |
Page 308 |
Page 309 |
Page 310 |
Page 311 |
Page 312 |
Page 313 |
Page 314 |
Page 315 |
Page 316 |
Page 317 |
Page 318 |
Page 319 |
Page 320 |
Page 321 |
Page 322 |
Page 323 |
Page 324 |
Page 325 |
Page 326 |
Page 327 |
Page 328 |
Page 329 |
Page 330 |
Page 331 |
Page 332 |
Page 333 |
Page 334 |
Page 335 |
Page 336 |
Page 337 |
Page 338 |
Page 339 |
Page 340 |
Page 341 |
Page 342 |
Page 343 |
Page 344 |
Page 345 |
Page 346 |
Page 347 |
Page 348 |
Page 349 |
Page 350 |
Page 351 |
Page 352 |
Page 353 |
Page 354 |
Page 355 |
Page 356 |
Page 357 |
Page 358 |
Page 359 |
Page 360 |
Page 361 |
Page 362 |
Page 363 |
Page 364 |
Page 365 |
Page 366 |
Page 367 |
Page 368 |
Page 369 |
Page 370 |
Page 371 |
Page 372 |
Page 373 |
Page 374 |
Page 375 |
Page 376 |
Page 377 |
Page 378 |
Page 379 |
Page 380 |
Page 381 |
Page 382 |
Page 383 |
Page 384 |
Page 385 |
Page 386 |
Page 387 |
Page 388 |
Page 389 |
Page 390 |
Page 391
