
Name: RICHARD BELL-DAVIES
Rank: T/Lt Col
Regiment: No 3 Squadron, Royal Navy Air Service
Borough: Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Date of Action: 19-Nov 1915
Memorial Location: Sloane Square War Memorial, Chelsea, SW1W 8SB
Sqn Cdr RICHARD BELL-DAVIES
Sloane Square War Memorial, Chelsea, SW1W 8SB
On the 19th November two officers carried out an air attack on Ferrijik Junction. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Smylie's machine was received by very heavy fire and brought down. The pilot planed down over the station, releasing all his bombs except one, which failed to drop, simultaneously at the station from a very low altitude. Thence he continued his descent into the marsh. On alighting he saw the one unexploded bomb, and set fire to his machine, knowing that the bomb would ensure its destruction. He then proceeded towards Turkish territory. At this moment he perceived Squadron-Commander Davies descending, and fearing that he would come down near the burning machine and thus risk destruction from the bomb, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Smylie ran back and from a short distance exploded the bomb by means of a pistol bullet. Squadron-Commander Davies descended at a safe distance from the burning machine, took up Sub-Lieutenant Smylie, in spite of the near approach of a party of the enemy, and returned to the aerodrome, a feat of airmanship that can seldom have been equalled for skill and gallantry.