LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Donald James DAVEY
Service No: 422446
Born: Parramatta NSW, 4 February 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 May 1942
Unit: No. 166 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Kirmington
Died: Air Operations: (No. 166 Squadron Lancaster aircraft PD202), France, 13 July 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Prez-Sur-Marne Churchyard, Haute-Marne, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Donald James Davey and Rita Davey
Roll of Honour: Windsor NSW
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Windsor Memorial Park Gates, Windsor NSW
Lancaster PD202 took off from RAF Kirmington at 2103 hours on the night of 12 July 1944, detailed to bomb railway facilities at Revigny, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. It was believed that the aircraft was shot down in an engagement with No. 103 Squadron Lancaster ND993. PD202 crashed at Prez-Sur-Marne, (Haute-Marne), about 11kms south east of St Dizier and all the crew members were killed. ND993 crashed circa 0210 hours at Montierssur-Saulx (Heuse), 30 kms south south east of Bar-le-Duc and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of PD202 were:
Flight Sergeant Donald James Davey (422446) (Wireless Operator Air)
Sergeant James Bell Lawrie (1822199) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer David Walker Muir (162811) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Albert Relton (1482369) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Eliot John Welchman (141768) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Michael George Wood (1585415) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Lewis Jeremiah Worrall (2220974) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
The crew members of No. 103 Squadron Lancaster ND993 were:
Flying Officer Peter John Abbott (127346) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant Victor Neville Clayton (1603691) (RAFVR)
Pilot Officer Alfred George Gleeson (176522) (RAFVR)
Sergeant Peter Robert Kewn (1587235) (RAFVR)
Sergeant Stephen Francis Labern (1332603) (RAFVR)
Sergeant Gordon Miller (900230) (RAFVR)
Flying Officer Alexander John Morrison (J/28801) (RCAF)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Chorley W R, Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 5 Aircraft and Aircrew Losses 1944, Midland Counties Publications UK, 1997
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/9/351
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line