Spotlight is shone on part-time Storrington pilot who helped win the Battle of Britain

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the battle the spotlight has been shone on South-Africa-born Carl Raymond Davis who flew with the RAF in his spare-time before the war.

He became one of the highest-scoring RAF fighter pilots of the battle, shooting down three German fighters in one day.

Carl married Anne Hope, the sister of Sir Archibald Hope, who was a pilot with the part-time No 601 (County of London) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force. Davis himself joined the squadron in 1935 while working as a mining engineer and he learnt to fly with them at weekends.

During the Battle of Britain Flying Officer Davis’ most successful day came on August 13 – ‘Eagle Day’. It was the day the Luftwaffe launched an intensive operation to destroy the RAF and he shot down three Bf110 fighters. Davis had already claimed two of these on August 11 and he added a Ju88 bomber to his tally on August 15 and 16. He downed an Me109 fighter and a Ju87 Stuka dive-bomber on August 18.

At the end of this desperate month Davis was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after shooting down nine enemy aircraft. His citation read: “He has taken part in nearly all patrols and interceptions carried out by his squadron... and has shown great keenness and courage.”

In just a week though, he would fight no more and was himself shot down and killed on September 6.

The Battle of Britain saw civilians and Armed Forces personnel like Flying Officer Davis from across the UK come together with aircrew from the Commonwealth and other allied countries to enable the RAF’s victory in the battle.

The squadron he flew with still operates today as part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force which recruits men and women who add to the strength of the Royal Air Force in their spare-time.