Arthur Rhys-Davids
British flying ace
Died when: 20 years 31 days (241 months)Star Sign: Libra
Arthur Percival Foley Rhys-Davids, DSO, MC & Bar (26 September 1897 – 27 October 1917) was a British flying ace of the First World War.
Rhys-Davids was born in 1897 to a distinguished 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 an excellent student.At the age of 14 Rhys-Davids joined Eton College as a King's Scholar.
He gained his School Certificate 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 of 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 the German ace Werner Voss (48 victories), who was killed; and possibly also Carl Menckhoff (39 victories).
By 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 wherever 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.
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