ALLIED LEADERS (22): Admiral R. Bell Davies

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 45, 3 May 1940, Page 2

ALLIED LEADERS (22): Admiral R. Bell Davies

NE of Britain’s naval chiefs about () stom little is Heard at the moment, is Rear-Admiral Richard Bell Davies, V.C., D.S.O. When war broke out, he was stationed at the Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport.

Admiral Davies is the only flag officer of the British active list who has served for any length of time on flying duties. Like several other officers in the forces who had an eye on the future, he learned to fly in his own time. That was in 1911, when he was a young naval officer. When war broke out in 1914, he was with his ship, but a year later he was in the air, and took part in repeated attacks on the enemy off Zeebrugge and Ostend. Once, when he was wounded, he continued to fly and bomb the enemy, despite the fact that he was severely wounded. By 1915 he was well again, and off the Dardanelles, A little later, he was flying over Bulgaria. When his companion machine was shot down, Admiral Bell Davies landed close beside it, rescued the pilot and took off again in the face of the enemy, who were racing to capture both machines. For that example of bravery in the face of great danger, he won his V.C. From 1920 to 1924, Admiral Bell Davies was in charge of the air section of the Naval Staff, and from 1931 to 1933 he was Liaison Officer for the Air Fleet Arm at the Air Ministry. He has commanded several ships, including H.M.S. Royal Sovereign and H.M.S. Cornwall.