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John Roland Gordon-Davis

Name : John Roland Gordon-Davis Service Number : 162516

Sgt Pilot John Rowland Gordon-Davis RAFVR was injured On 22nd August 1943 at 22.42hrs Halifax EB195 had burst a tyre while taking off and stopped on the runway. Ground controllers and the crew of another aircraft, Halifax DK125, were not initially aware of this and then began their take off run, around the time the crew of EB195 then signalled that they were stopped on the runway. Ground controllers warned the crew of DK125 of the danger in the way of firing a red Very flare but the crew of DK125 had already set off down the runway, they attempted to climb over the top of EB195 and began to raise the undercarriage but it struck EB195. The undercarriage of DK125 hit the tailplane of EB195 and then cut into the port wing. The crew of EB195 had attempted to run clear realising a collision and the flight engineer sustained injuries when he was hit by flying wreckage. The crew of DK125 then flew a couple of circuits of the airfield and then belly landed, but overshot off the end of the runway. Halifax EB195 was repaired but Halifax DK125 was deemed too badly damage to warrant a repair.

Known Service Details :
Squadron	Rank	Start of Service	End of Service	Known Dates	Aircraft	Airframes	Notes
No.102 Sqn RAF	Flight Lieutenant	unknown	unknown	22nd August 1943	Halifax		Sgt Pilot John Rowland Gordon-Davis RAFVR was injured On 22nd August 1943 at 22.42hrs Halifax EB195 had burst a tyre while taking off and stopped on the runway. Ground controllers and the crew of another aircraft, Halifax DK125, were not initially aware of this and then began their take off run, around the time the crew of EB195 then signalled that they were stopped on the runway. Ground controllers warned the crew of DK125 of the danger in the way of firing a red Very flare but the crew of DK125 had already set off down the runway, they attempted to climb over the top of EB195 and began to raise the undercarriage but it struck EB195. The undercarriage of DK125 hit the tailplane of EB195 and then cut into the port wing. The crew of EB195 had attempted to run clear realising a collision and the flight engineer sustained injuries when he was hit by flying wreckage. The crew of DK125 then flew a couple of circuits of the airfield and then belly landed, but overshot off the end of the runway. Halifax EB195 was repaired but Halifax DK125 was deemed too badly damage to warrant a repair.

Aircraft for : John Roland Gordon-Davis
A list of all aircraft associated with John Roland Gordon-Davis. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Halifax Click the name above to see prints featuring Halifax aircraft. Manufacturer : Handley Page Production Began : 1941 Retired : 1952 Number Built : 6177	Halifax Royal Air Force heavy Bomber with a crew of six to eight. Maximum speed of 280mph (with MK.VI top speed of 312mph) service ceiling of 22,800feet maximum range of 3,000 miles. The Halifax carried four .303 browning machine guns in the tail turret, two .303 browning machines in the nose turret in the MK III there were four .303 brownings in the dorsal turret. The Handley Page Halifax, first joined the Royal Air Force in March 1941 with 35 squadron. The Halifax saw service in Europe and the Middle east with a variety of variants for use with Coastal Command, in anti Submarine warfare, special duties, glider-tugs, and troop transportation roles. A total of 6177 Halifax's were built and stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1952

Squadrons for : John Roland Gordon-Davis
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by John Roland Gordon-Davis. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.102 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 9th August 1917 Fate : Disbanded 27th April 1963 Ceylon Tentate et perficite - Attempt and achieve Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.102 Sqn RAF	No.102 Sqn RAF No. 102 squadron was formed at Hingham in Norfolk in August 1917 and was equipped with FE2b and FE2ds and operated as a night bomber squadron. 102 squadron went to France and operated behind German lines with their main targets being railway stations, railway lines, and railway trains, specialising in night attacks. In March 1919 after the war had finished, 102 squadron returned to Britain and disbanded on the 3rd of July 1919. On the 1st of October 1935, 102 squadron was reformed at RAF Worthy Down with the role again as a night bomber squadron, initially using Handley Page Heyford aircraft. In October 1938, 102 Squadron became part of the newly formed No.4 group of Bomber Command based at RAF Driffield and was now equipped with the new Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber. 102 squadron dropped leaflets in the night from 4th to 5th September 1939 over Germany. The squadron spent six weeks on convoy escort duty under the command of Coastal Command from 1st September until 10th October 1940 flying from Prestwick. 102 Squadron returned to bomber command and soon after Leonard Cheshire won his DSO. On the night of 12th/13th November 1940, Whitley V P5005 found itself slightly off course above the primary target due to problems with the intercom. Changing instead to a secondary target, some railway marshalling yards near Cologne, Pilot Officer Leonard Cheshire suddenly felt his aircraft rocked by a series of violent explosions that caused a severe fire to break out in the fuselage, filling the cockpit with acrid black smoke. As DY-N plunged some 2,000 feet, Cheshire managed to regain control and the fire was eventually extinguished. For bringing his aircraft safely home to 102 Squadrons base after being airborne for eight and half hours, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. 102 Squadron continued for the next thirty-six months to fly night sorties (including the thousand bomber raids) over Germany. In 1944 the squadron attacked rail targets in France in preparation for the invasion. In February 1942 the squadron was adopted by the island of Ceylon, which paid for aircraft for use by the squadron. The squadron transferred to Transport Command on 8th March 1945 and in September 1945 re-equipped with Liberators. The squadrons main role was the return of troops and POWs back from India and it disbanded on the 28th of February 1946. No.102 Squadron used the following aircraft : Fe2b from August 1917 to July 1919. Handley Page Heyford from October 1935 to May 1939 - specifically Mk.II from October 1935 to April 1937 and Mk.III from December 1935 to May 1939. Armstrong Whitworth Whitley from October 1938 to February 1942, specifically Mk.IV from October 1938 to January 1940 and Mk.V from November 1939 to February 1942. Handley Page Halifax from December 1941 to September 1945, specifically Mk.II from December 1941 to May 1944, Mk.III from May 1944 to September 1945 and Mk.VI from July 1945 to September 1945. Consolidated Liberator Mks.VI and VIII from September 1945 February 1946. English Electric Canberra B.2 from October 1954 to August 1956.

First created : 15:44, July 6, 2016
Created by : HMS

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