ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 269414
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| Date: | Friday 21 November 1941 |
| Time: | 14:25 |
| Type: |  Hawker Hurricane MkIIB |
| Owner/operator: | 79 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | Z3393 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | Decoy Wood Cefn Bryn, Gower. -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Fairwood Common |
| Return. |
Details:
This Hurricane was one of the fifth block produced by Hawkers at Brooklands. A total of 1.000 aircraft to contract 62305/39. Deliveries commenced form the 14th of January 1941 and completed on the 28th of July 1941.
79 squadron came to RAF Fairwood Common for rest and re-organisation after the Battle of Britain and to take over patrolling duties of the Severn Estuary which towards the end of the year (1941) progressed to offensive sorties over Nazi occupied France.
On the 21st of November 1941, Z3393 was on patrol with five other Hurricanes, and was part of ‘Blue Section’ with another Hurricane, Z5307 flown by a Sgt Dench. They took off and soon afterwards Z3393 flown by Sgt Davey, suffered a Glycol leak over the area of Reynoldston in Gower. He was too far from the airfield to risk an engine seizure and saw below the ‘Secret Starfish Site’ on the northern end of Cefn Bryn near the Geographical feature of Broad Pool. He elected to set the aircraft down near what is now known as ‘Decoy Wood’. The ground here is mostly soft heather and hill grass. The wheels up landing went well with minimal damage to the aircraft and no injuries to Sgt Davey. On the 23rd of November Sgt Davey was on patrol again flying another Hurricane, Z5256.
On the 17th of December the squadron records state:
“In the afternoon a ‘Very Secret’ operation was heard about! 12 aircraft took off from Fairwood to RAF Perenporth in Cornwall, consisting of 10 long range mark 2B’s and 10 short range mark 2C’s (canon).”
The op’ was scheduled for the 18th. Squadron mission was to provide fighter escort to a bomber force of the Shorts Stirling. There was an additional fighter squadron of Spitfires of 234 Sqn’. The formation force task was to bomb Brest.
Squadron records:
“Rendezvous with the Stirling’s was successful, and the Cornish coast was left at 12:05hrs and the Breton coast was crossed at 12:25hrs. The faster Spitfires slowly left us (79) behind. Squadron Leader Smith only managed to keep up by losing height from 17,000 to 16,000 feet. An Me109F appeared behind, between us and 234 and it climbed to port, to get behind 79 sqn’ so S/Ldr Smith and his No 2 followed, making a climbing turn to Port to meet the E/A. There may have been more, but the CO only saw the one. This manoeuvre had the effect of splitting the squadron and unfortunately Sgt Davey (the CO’s No2) must have been picked off by another 109, about this time at 12:30hrs.
Sgt Davey was flying Hurricane MkIIB Z5256, his replacement Hurricane after his forced landing in Z3393. He was listed as missing in the squadron records until they had confirmation of his body being found near the Port of Brest next to his destroyed Hurricane.
Crew:
Sgt Gordon Henry Norman Davey 27yo 1375580 RAFVR. Pilot. Safe. (Died in action on the 18th of December)
Buried:
Brignogan-Plage Communal Cemetery. Grave 2.
Wreckage:
Removed and repaired, assumed to flying duties. (Further aircraft history not found)
Additional information:
Gordon Davey was the son of Edward and Catherine Emily Davey, of Brixton, London.
Sources:
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
rafweb.com
Local knowledge.
'Flights Over Gower' by Steve Jones.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Nov-2021 16:59 | Davies 62 | Added |
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