William Haydn Davies – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 622 Squadron

Flying Officer William Haydn Davies – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 622 Squadron

Early Life and Family Background

William Haydn Davies was born in 1921 in Swansea, the son of William John Davies and Frances Margaret Davies. He grew up in a working household rooted in the skilled trades of the town, entering adulthood as Europe moved steadily towards war.

The Family in the 1939 Register

1939 Register

The 1939 Register records the Davies family living at 31 Nicholl Street, Swansea. William John was employed as a Joiner, while Frances Margaret undertook Household Duties. Their son, William Haydn, then eighteen, was working as a Railway Clerk, a position that reflected both responsibility and promise before his enlistment in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Service with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

William Haydn enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, where he trained as a navigator and rose to the rank of Flying Officer. He was posted to No. 622 Squadron, a Lancaster unit based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk. The squadron formed part of Bomber Command’s main force, undertaking deep‑penetration night raids into Germany during the height of the strategic bombing campaign.

Lancaster I

Final Operation: 20 January 1944

On 20 January 1944, Flying Officer Davies was serving as navigator aboard an Avro Lancaster I during a major night raid on Berlin, one of the most heavily defended targets in Germany. The aircraft was shot down over the target area, and all on board were killed. The loss formed part of a night of severe casualties for Bomber Command, reflecting the intense dangers faced by crews operating over the German capital.

William Haydn Davies
Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery, Germany credit - findagrave

The Crew of the Lancaster

Flying Officer Davies was lost alongside his fellow airmen — Sergeant Dennis Frederick Bache, Flight Lieutenant David Arthur Claydon, Flight Sergeant Harold Graham, Pilot Officer Stanley Ernest James, Flight Sergeant Peter James Maher, Sergeant Frank Mosley, and Pilot Officer William Gibb Johnston Shields. All were recovered and laid to rest at the Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery, Germany, where their graves stand together in honour of their shared sacrifice.