"We do not want to be remembered as heroes, we only ask to be remembered for what we done....that's all"
"I regard it as a privilege to fight for all those things that make life worth living - freedom, honour and fair play"

Carl Raymond Davis was born in South Africa of American parents and was sent to Sherborne College in Britain at the age of 13. He later studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and McGill University, Montreal where he qualified as a mining engineer. He lived in London during the 1930's and joined 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force at Hendon, being commissioned in August 1936 (Officer Number 90131). He was called to full-time service on 27 August 1939 and later that year flew one of the six 601 Squadron Blenheims in tandem with Blenheims of 25 Squadron that attacked the German seaplane base at Borkum on 27 November. In February 1940 601 Squadron received Hurricane I's replacing their Blenheims and from Tangmere, but they soon had detachments flying from Merville and St Valery in Northern France. July 1, saw a withdrawal to Middle Wallop and within a few weeks they were back at Tangmere and often switching to Debden. Once the Battle of Britain began, Davis claimed a Me110 destroyed on 11 July 1940 plus a Me109 damaged on 26 July, two Me110's probably destroyed and one damaged on the 11 August. Then on the 13 August three Me110's destroyed, one probably destroyed, one Ju88 shared damaged and one Me110 damaged. This was followed by Ju88's destroyed on 15 and 16 August, a Me109 and a Ju87 Stuka destroyed on the 18th, a Me110 probably destroyed on the 31st and then a Me110 destroyed on 4 September. A grand total of 9 enemy aircraft destroyed, 1 shared destroyed, 4 probables, 1 shared probable and 4 damaged. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 30 August. Davis was shot down and killed on 6 September when his Hurricane P3363 UF-W was shot down by a Bf109 into the garden of Canterbury Cottage, Matfield near Tunbridge Wells. He was 29. He is buried near the family home in Storrington, West Sussex at St.Mary's Church. His wife was Anne, sister of Sir Archibald Hope of 601 Squadron. Subsequent note. We have been fortunate in making contact with the children of Carl Davis's only son Michael (died 2001) - they of course never knew Carl but they and their own children (Carl's great-grandchildren) are greatly interested in Carl and were able to send us some photos previously unseen outside the family and were able to tell us that Carl was always known by his second name Raymond. They also sent a very sombre letter written by a witness to the crash. This touching letter is worth reading and is produced below. One of his great-grandchildren, Jack, is pictured in Carl's flying boots ­ his parents had great trouble explaining that he would not take off and fly around the garden! Matfield House Matfield Kent 12 September 1940 Dear Mrs Davis I hope you will not mind receiving this letter from a stranger, one who saw the air battle in which your husband gave his life on Friday morning last, his plane falling in a cottage garden within a hundred yards of this house. I am able to tell you that he died in the air instantaneously as a result of two bullets through the brain, his machine afterwards breaking in two and falling. I was the first to enter the cottage garden and saw him sitting in his place, with his feet on the rudder bar and the belt still fastened round his waist, clearly showing that he had not moved again after being attacked. I placed a covering over him. An ambulance was summoned and he was removed to the mortuary of our local hospital. His pocket book, containing his identity card, a snapshot and one or two licences, was taken by the company commander of the Home Guard who has forwarded it to the RAF authority. In order to be certain of my facts I visited the hospital two days later, where I found him lying with a bunch of roses on his breast, and, in company with the Matron, I examined his head and she agreed with me that death had been instantaneous. As a fighter of the last war, I pay homage to a fighter of today, and while I know that nothing I may say can be of any real comfort to you, I do ask you to think of him as soaring into the sky, on that glorious sunny morning, with a smile on his lips and a song in his heart, to do battle for this England of ours, and then making the Supreme Sacrifice. Please believe that there is no need for you to acknowledge this letter, if you would rather not. I shall be thinking of you, and of him, at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning. Yours sincerely Eric W Hubbard Shall we not offer of our best and highest? When Duty calls, can we forbear to give? This be thy record, where in peace thou liest, "He gave his life, that England's soul should live". Rest well, dear son, for at the Great Awaking When Christ shall call His Soldiers to his side, His promise stands, there shall be no forsaking Of those who fought for Him, and fighting, died.