Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Lieutenant (Air) Jack Davey, Royal Navy, who was killed in a training exercise, 26 May 1944

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals, all unnamed as issued, extremely fine (lot) £180-220

Jack Davey was born on 22 April 1918, the son of John and Elizabeth Davey. Educated at Lingfield and Crowhurst Schools, he entered the Royal Navy on 20 March 1934 as a Boy 2nd Class on H.M.S. Ganges. He was advanced to Boy 1st Class in March 1935 and promoted to Ordinary Seaman in October 1935 when serving on H.M.S. Hood (1935-39). Promoted to Able Seaman in January 1937 and Leading Seaman in October 1938, he was rated an Acting Leading Seaman (Air) on 14 January 1940 and Acting Petty Officer (Air) on the following day. Davey was commissioned an Acting Sub-Lieutenant (Air) in May 1942 when on Daedalus and was confirmed in that rank in November 1942 when on H.M.S. Shropshire.

He attained the rank of Lieutenant (Air) on 1 November 1943 when at Daedalus with 841 Squadron. Newspaper cuttings with the lot record that he was responsible for sinking a German minesweeper and an E-Boat in November 1943. With the same squadron based at H.M.S. Owl, at Fearn, near Invergordon, Ross-shire, he was killed in a flying accident during an exercise on 26 May 1944. In attempting a high dive bombing run, Lieutenant Davey’s aircraft crashed into the sea, killing himself and two others. Lieutenant Davey was buried in Rosskeen Parish Churchyard Extension. He was the husband of Beatrice Margaret Davey of Gillingham, Kent, who he married in June 1943.

With original card medal forwarding box addressed to ‘Mrs B. M. Williams, 133 Livingstone Road, Gillingham, Kent. 163 Stafford Rd, Caterham, Surrey’, with condolence slip, named to ‘Lieutenant (A) Jack Davey, R.N.’; Buckingham Palace condolence slip in envelope, addressed to ‘Mrs B. Davey, Further Hobbs Cottage, Tandridge Lane, Lingfield, Surrey; Telegrams (5), including one to Mrs Davey, dated 27 May, informing her of the death of her husband; a Certificate of the Inspector of Seamen’s Wills, dated 18 October 1944, in envelope; newspaper cuttings with details of Davey’s Naval career; photographs (8) including one of ‘Sub. Lieuts & Prospective Sub Lieuts. (A) - H.M.S. Collingwood’; M.O.D. statement of service; sundry other papers following his death; together with a quantity of copied squadron flight reports covering the period, 12 September-21 November 1943 and 1 February-31 May 1944.