Flying Officer - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves - 73 Squadron - Service No. 101478
Stewart Palmer Davis was born on 16th September 1921 in Gravesend, Kent. His father was Alfred Davis and his mother Grace (née Lampard). The first school that he attended was Bronte Villa School in Gravesend.
In 1929 Stewart Davis joined The County School for Boys – now known as Gravesend Grammar School. The Head Master at that time was the Reverend Samuel Lister. The County School for Boys was located in Darnley Road, Gravesend close to the Railway Station. In 1938 the School moved to brand new premises in Church Walk, Milton, Gravesend opposite to Milton Church.
The School’s Admission Register lists Stewart’s home address as Murrells, Vale Road, Perry Street, Gravesend. Whilst at the School, Stewart was in Downs House. In 1935 he moved to Sutton Valance School.
On leaving school, Stewart served a student apprenticeship with the British Thomas-Houston Co Ltd, electrical engineers. He married Phyllis Davis of Southampton, a WRNS, in Port Said on 10 August 1940, enlisting in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves the same month, Service Number 101478. Stewart trained to fly in Canada before being sent to the Middle East to join 73 Squadron as a Flying Officer.
Stewart Davis was reported as missing in Egypt, later listed as Killed in Action on 16th January 1943, age 21. He is remembered on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt Column 268.
Stewart Davis shares the Roll of Honour with 3 other students from his Form – Varley Bousfield, David Sparrow and Peter Thomas.
There are links below to Newspaper Clippings and Photographs from the Gravesend Grammar School Archives.
Also links to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and a few other websites that might be of interest:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1536416/davis,-stewart-palmer/
http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/73_wwII.html