Llewellyn Crichton (or Crighton) Davies was born in Cardiff, the son of William Henry Davies, the editor of the
Cardiff Figaro, and Hanna Crighton, from
Forfar. He was educated at Cardiff and at Halifax, and became a
chartered accountant. On the outbreak of World War I, he was living in
Pollokshields, Glasgow, and enlisted as a private in the 5th Battalion,
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) on 4 August 1914. Davies saw action with his regiment on the
Western Front during the
Battle of the Somme, and on 28 August 1916 he was awarded the
Military Cross. His citation read: :Second Lieutenant Llewellyn Crighton Davies, Scottish Rifles. :For conspicuous gallantry in action. He handled his
trench-mortars with great skill, and knocked out an enemy machine-gun that was holding up the advance. He also took charge of various parties that had lost their officers, and brought in single-handed a wounded man under heavy fire. In February 1917 he was seconded to the
Royal Flying Corps as a flying officer (observer), and served with No. 22 Squadron as an observer/gunner in the
FE.2b reconnaissance aircraft. While flying with Captain
Carleton Main Clement on morning formation patrol, he was credited with two
Albatros D.III fighters destroyed on 6 and 8 April 1917, although they were shared with several others, including
Gerald Gordon Bell. On 5 June, Davies and Clement destroyed an
Albatros D.V and drove a second one down out of control. On 29 July, having upgraded to a
Bristol F.2 Fighter, Davies and Clement shot down another German aircraft, thought to be that of
Kurt Schneider,
Staffelführer of
Jasta 5. Schneider later died of wounds received in this action. He was appointed a flying officer on 27 February 1918, but on 13 March, while based at the
54th Training Depot Station, he was fatally injured after crashing his
Airco DH.4 (serial number B5495), and died three days later ==References==