Arthur Rhys-Davids

Arthur Rhys-Davids

Arthur Percival Foley Rhys Davids DSO, MC & Bar (26 September 1897 – 27 October 1917) was a British flying ace during the First World War.

Rhys-Davids was born in 1897 to an affluent family. His father was a professional academic and his mother a prolific author which afforded the young Rhys-Davids thorough schooling. He showed considerable potential in all subjects and was excellent student. At the age of 14 Rhys-Davids attended Eton College. He gained his School Certificate Examination in July 1913 with higher marks than any other student. In 1914 war had broken out and in mid-1916 Rhys-Davids applied for a commission in the Royal Flying Corps. On 28 August 1916 he reported for training. Rhys-Davids completed his training in the spring, 1917 and was assigned to No. 56 Squadron RFC on 7 March 1917.

Rhys-Davids gained his first victory on 23 May 1917 and began a steady run of success. Only two days later he gained his fifth air victory and became an ace. It was during the Third Battle of Ypres (July–November 1917) that Rhys-Davids scored the majority of his successes, gaining 22 more victories by the time of his death. On 23 September Rhys-Davids shot down two German aces in the same fight; Carl Menckhoff (39 victories) and Werner Voss (48 victories). Voss was killed in the battle. By the 11 October 1917 Rhys-Davids had shot down five more enemy aircraft for an official total of 27 aerial victories—23 of them individual kills.

Rhys-Davids had earned a reputation as a "fighter", and pursued enemy aircraft where ever and whenever he spotted them. On 27 October 1917 he pursued a group of German aircraft over Roeselare, Belgium. He was never seen or heard from again. Post-war analysis suggests Rhys-Davids may have been shot down by German ace Karl Gallwitz. Despite disappearing less than five miles from the crash site of Werner Voss, shot down by Rhys-Davids one month earlier, his remains have never been found.