Frank Davies – Victim of the Plymouth Blitz

Early Life and Family

David Thomas Davies and Catherine Jane Williams
marriage certificate
Parish Church of Llangyfelach

Frank Davies was born in 1909 in Morriston, the son of David Thomas Davies and Catherine Jane Williams, who had married in 1892 at the Parish Church of Llangyfelach.

1911 Census

By the time of the 1911 Census, the Davies family were living at 58 Woodfield Street, Morriston. David, then 43 and born in Neath, was employed as a Marine Engineer, while Catherine, aged 36, was at home caring for their children. Their eldest son Clyde, aged 16, was working as a fitter’s apprentice, while Susie, 11, and Gwen, 5, were both attending school. Frank, the youngest, was just 2 years old.

Marriage and Adult Life

Frank Davies and Jane James
marriage certificate
Christ Church, Swansea

Frank married Jane James in 1931 at Christ Church, Swansea. By 1939, the couple were living at 138 Rodney Street, Swansea, during the early years of the Second World War.

The Plymouth Blitz and the Raid of 20^th March 1941

Plymouth became one of the most heavily bombed cities in Britain due to its strategic importance as home to the Royal Navy dockyards at Devonport. The Luftwaffe launched repeated attacks throughout early 1941, with March and April marking the most destructive phase of the Plymouth Blitz. During this period, the city centre, residential districts, and key civil‑defence points were hit night after night, causing widespread fires, building collapses, and mass casualties.

The raid on 20^th March 1941 formed part of this intense sequence of attacks. Bombs fell across central Plymouth and surrounding areas, overwhelming rescue services and first aid posts. Many civilians were killed instantly, while others succumbed to their injuries after being brought to emergency stations set up across the city.

Death During the Plymouth Blitz

Frank Davies died on 20^th March 1941 at the Princess Square First Aid Post, Plymouth, after being injured during the air raid. His death places him among the many civilians who lost their lives during this devastating period, as the Blitz spread destruction across Britain’s major ports and industrial centres