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This is a story about my Grandfather, not a comic strip super hero but an ordinary bloke doing an extra ordinary job. More amazing still that he was doing his job aged in his early twenties, something i find hard to imagine as i sit and type this aged 31 years.
Harold Davis flew in Bomber Command having joined the RAF just before war broke out.He flew various types ,Halifax,Wellington, Lancaster & Mosquito.He was selected to fly in the Pathfinders an elite unit of Bomber Command whose main task was to set the flares over targets in Germany for the main bomber force to drop their payloads on.He was based for a time at Little Staughton airfield amongst others.He was heavily involved in flying "OBOE" missions at the time a top secret radar direction system that could pinpoint targets.Bombers flew on an invisible beam and this was a revoluntionary advance in bombing accuracy.Not surprisingly in some quarters they were known as the "Beam Bombers"
I recall with incredulous amazement his story of having taken heavy flak over Germany on one particular raid.His plane lost windows and was heavily damaged.Against all the odds he managed to get the plane back to base.But when the ground crew jumped on board they found him literally frozen to the control column.They had to physically break the ice from his body to remove him.He never spoke much of his time in the war, i know he was deeply affected by the death of his navigator next to him in the cockpit.Another navigator of his "Chuck" is still alive and a true hero himself.Still remembering his "Skipper" he is friends with my Grandmother to this very day.
Harold Davis flew over 90 missions,was shot down twice and managed to return to England both times.I am his grandson and the proud keeper of his Pathfinder Wings.This is just one story of his bravery and endurance.I know for sure there are countless others.

Andrew Davis.

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