Sergeant Cecil Albert Davey

Air Gunner

 

* March 10, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, England

† 21 December 1942 Elst UT.

Son of  Albert Edward and Ruth Davey of Corringham, Essex.

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Service nr. 1585901

In June 2016 an email was sent to "YOUR THURROCK", a local (internet)newspaper, to ask if they could help finding relatives of Cecil Albert Davey. Sure they did and shortly after that there was a message from Janice Rudd, daughter of Geoffrey Golding, a friend of Cecil Davey. Many thanks to Janice and "Your Thurrock".

"Your Thurrock" has a wide reach, a few days later they provided us with the email adress of Michael Davey, a cousin of Cecil Davey. Michael and his wife Susan are living in the North of England!

They provided us with a lot of information and photo's.

Cecil Albert Davey was born March 10, 1923 in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex England. 

 

 

 

Cecil's parents: Albert Edward and Ruth Davey.

Cecil's mother died in 1933, only 36 years old.

 

 

 

Cecil with his father and little sister Gladys

 

 

Cecil Davey and his friend Geoffrey Golding.

At the beginning of the war Cecil Davey wanted to volunteer with the Army but was rejected because he was too young. He then served in the Home Guard, a defense organization of the English army. The Home Guard guarded, among other things, the coastal areas and airfields of the United Kingdom. When he was old enough he volunteered with the Royal Air Force.

 

Not much is known about his training in the Royal Air Force. The oldest we could find is his posting from 1660 Conversion Unit to 207 Squadron on November 9, 1942.

November 25, 1942: his first operational flight. A daylight attack on Vechta in Germany. Because of the lack of cloud cover they had to abort this sortie. The farthest point reached is somewhere near Urk in the Noordoostpolder. The bombs are jettisoned over the North Sea.

The target of the second operational flight was Stettin but the bombers were recalled because of unfavourable weather.

December 20,1942: the third operational flight was to Duisburg.

December 21, 1942: the fatal flight to Münich.

Cecil Davey is commemorated at the Stanford-le-Hope memorial.

(Note: R.A. Golding is a brother of Geoffrey Golding.)

...and in the church of St. Mary the Virgin in Corringham.

In September 2016 we met Janice and Frank Rudd and Geoffrey Golding and his wife.

.....and a few days later Michael and Susan Davey in the North of England.

Cecil Albert Davey is buried at the Rusthof Cemetery, Leusden, and is commemorated at the memorial in Elst UT.