b. 20/10/1898 Queenstown, Ireland. d. 13/08/1940 RAF Detling, Kent.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 03/10/1917
Edward P M Davis
AFC AM
Edward was the eldest of four sons of Edward Harry Meggs Davis CMG JP, an Admiral in the Royal Navy and Ethel Mary Lambe. All four of the brothers went into the military, and Edward gained his Flying Certificate at Chingford, Essex on 28th August 1916, joining the Royal Naval Air Service as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant. On 1st November 1918 he was gazetted for the AFC. He rose to the rank of Group Captain and was killed in a bombing raid on RAF Detling in 1940.
AM CITATION:
On the 3rd October, 1917, whilst carrying out a practice flight, a seaplane, piloted by Flight Sub-Lieutenant James Douglas Grant, fell into the sea. The seaplane turned over and the pilot was enclosed in the boat under water. Flight Lieutenant Edward Peverall Meggs Davis immediately flew a seaplane to the position of the accident, made fast to the wreck, and dived under the wreck in his uniform and endeavoured to extricate Flight Sub-Lieutenant Grant. To do this it was necessary for him to dive amongst and struggle through the mass of wires and broken parts of the wreck. Notwithstanding the imminent danger of being caught up amongst them, Lieutenant Davis continued his efforts to get Flight Sub-Lieutenant Grant out, until the emergency boat arrived on the scene. No other help was at hand until the arrival of .this motor boat, which at the time ‘of the accident was about a mile and a-half away. Flight Lieutenant Davis risked his life in endeavouring to save that of his brother officer, as there was every chance of his becoming caught under water in the wires of the wreck.
BURIAL LOCATION: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL. PANEL 289.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
