Squadron Leader Robin Langdon-Davies DFC
No Photo Available | Squadron Leader Robin Langdon-Davies DFC
Officer Commanding 6 Squadron 1944, Hurricane ground attack Pilot. Born in Southampton in 1920 to pacifist Quakers, Robin and his family sailed on the Lancastria for New York in 1925, and lived fleetingly in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and then, very happily, from 1926 to 1928, at San Feliu de Guixols in Catalonia. He and his older brother led lives of enviable freedom even if not allowed to play warlike games, except cavaliers and roundheads. Robin was the roundhead. Their parents' marriage broke up and they moved to Devon, but the boys ran away from the progressive Dartington Hall and were sent to Leighton Park. Back in England after the Spanish civil war, Robin began studying chartered accountancy, and while taking his articles in Oxford he met Cicely Dyer. They married in 1941. The civil war had deeply affected him, and he devoted himself to campaigning for the Spanish republic. In July 1940, he enlisted in the RAF and went on to fly Hurricanes, Spitfires and Mustangs. His favourite plane was the Bristol Beaufighter, which he flew with 6 Squadron in the Adriatic in 1943 on anti-shipping missions. One day, out of four fighter-bombers two, were lost. Retaliatory action was taken and his co-pilot recalled Robin observing 'this is worth a posthumous DFC'. Robin got the medal two months later and became officer in charge of 6 Squadron in 1944. Sadly he passed away in October 2005 aged 84.
 Distinguished Flying Cross |
|