Auction Catalogue

25 & 26 June 2008

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Lot

№ 1147

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26 June 2008

Hammer Price:
£3,000

Three: Chief Petty Officer Air Engineering Mechanic (Weapons) W. R. F. Davies, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, who served with 845 Squadron in the Falklands and was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct after a Harrier training aircraft crashed near Yeovilton Air Station in 1985

General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Malay Peninsula (FX.065354 W. R. F. Davies, N.A.M.1 R.N.); South Atlantic 1982, with small rosette (CAEM(W) W R F Davies D065354U 845 Sqn.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue (CEL W R F Davies D065354U HMS Osprey); Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct, silver laurel leaves mounted on blue ribbon, good very fine (4) £2000-2500

Queen’s Commendation London Gazette 30 July 1985:

‘Chief Petty Officer Air Engineering Mechanic (Weapons) William Richard Ferady Davies.

On 7 February 1985 a twin seat Harrier training aircraft from the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton crashed four miles north of the Air Station.

Chief Petty Officer Air Engineering Mechanic (Weapons) Davies was the senior weapons specialist rating in the salvage team which arrived at the scene of the accident forty minutes after the crash.

The impact of the aircraft had been followed by explosion, fire and disintegration of the airframe: the ejection seats were cast forward of the main wreckage and had come to rest inverted. The two ejection seats were quickly assessed as in a highly dangerous condition. The seat cartridges had been damaged by heat and with the seats part drawn and distorted, their entire condition was unstable and liable to explosion.

In harrowing, testing and dangerous conditions, and with total disregard for his own safety Davies thoroughly examined the cartridges on both ejection seats and coolly took steps to render them safe; throughout this hazardous operation he took pains to keep the command informed of each stage of progress. Following the successful completion of his task the main salvage operation was able to be undertaken.

Throughout this whole operation, in extremely arduous conditions Chief Petty Officer Air Engineering Mechanic (Weapons) Davies displayed great courage, composure and professional devotion to duty in the highest traditions of the Service.’

Sold with original citation for Commendation together with copied commendation certificate, Discharge Certificate and letter of congratulations. An original news cutting that also accompanies the group explains that this operation took Davies two-and-a-half hours to complete, during the whole of which time the bodies of the two aircrew who died in the impact were still in their seats.