In memory of Cyril Caradoc Davies
Cyril Caradoc Davies was born in Colwyn Bay in 1912, the only son of William and Winifred Davies of Bod Caradoc, Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea. Cyril sang in the choir of St George’s Church.
After leaving school he was apprenticed to an electrician. He later worked in local cinemas, initially at the Princess Theatre, Colwyn Bay, and then as chief operator at the Odeon Cinema, Llandudno. By 1939 he was living at a property called Ty Fry on Old Road, Llandudno, with his wife Vera, whom he’d married in 1937 at St Pauls Church, Colwyn Bay.
He volunteered for the Royal Air Force, and undertook basic training and an intensive course as a wireless operator. He was then sent to an Operational Training Unit at Lichfield, where personnel were formed into crews and prepared for operations. At RAF Lichfield personnel were trained on Wellington bombers before being posted to their squadrons. Sergeant Cyril Davies joined 460 (Royal Australian Air Force) Squadron and sent to RAF Breighton in east Yorkshire.
On 17 February 1942, Cyril was the Wireless Operator on a Wellington bomber that took off from RAF Breighton on a routine night-time cross-country training flight. The weather was good but 115km (72 miles) from base, the twin-engine bomber crashed into a hillside at Farnley Tyas near Huddersfield with the loss of the six-man crew, including Sgt Davies.
The aircraft was completely destroyed by the high-speed impact with the ground and by fire. No cause of the accident could be ascertained. Wireless communication had been maintained with the aircraft until a few minutes before the tragedy.
Cyril’s body was returned to Colwyn Bay and he was buried with full military honours at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos churchyard. His name was added to Colwyn Bay war memorial many years after the war, when a relative contacted the local RAF association.
With thanks to Russell Owen
Return to Colwyn Bay war memorial page
