LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Lance George DAVIS
Service No: 407166
Born: Adelaide SA, 19 October 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1914
Unit: No. 47 Squadron (RAF), Shandur, Egypt
Died: Air Operations (No. 47 Squadron Beaufort aircraft DE115), off the Libyan Coast, 26 October 1942, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George William and Elizabeth Stella Davis; husband of Ellen Jane Davis, of Clarence Park, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Gawler SA
Remembered: Column 266, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 26 October 1942 Beaufort DE115 piloted by Pilot Officer Garriock, was in a formation of 8 Beauforts of 47 Squadron which left Gianaclis to strike against an enemy convoy of 2 motor vessels, a tanker and four destroyers nearing Tobruk. Blenheims and Beaufighters escorted the above formation. The target convoy was seen at 3220N 2342E. The Beauforts carried out a torpedo attack and the Blenheims a low level bombing attack on the convoy. Ten miles on the return journey, DE115 collided with No. 15 Squadron (SAAF) Blenheim BA486 and both aircraft crashed into the sea. No survivors were observed and all crew members were lost at sea.
The crew members of DE115 were:
Sergeant Lance George Davis (407166) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Walter Garriock (403733) (Pilot)
Sergeant Roy James Hamilton (404689) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Robert Wrey Simpson (411228) (RNZAF) (Observer)
The crew members of BA486 were:
Lieutenant S E Leisegang (1666V) (SAAF) (Pilot)
Lieutenant Harold Clifford Francis (1597V) (SAAF) (Observer)
Air Sergeant Patrick Joseph Swann (103898) (SAAF) (Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/44/75
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/100/301