Andy Davies-Coward

In the 1980’s my then father-in-law, Sir Richard Davies, came for a visit to our house near Bristol.  Sir Richard was an interesting man, born in Wales in modest circumstances, he was talented and hard working enough to get a degree in engineering.  Having specialised in electronic engineering, at the start of World War II in 1939 he joined the scientific civil service.  In 1944-45 he became part of the British Air Commission in Washington DC.

Those war years saw Sir Richard able to put his particular interests and skills to use as part of a team developing radar, which came to play an important part in the British war effort.   After the War he went on to become a director of electronics firm Ferranti and was subsequently invited to join the Royal household working for the Duke of Edinburgh, becoming an equerry and gaining a knighthood in 1984.

During his visit to our house I was able to introduce Sir Richard, then in his mid-seventies, to our neighbour, a man of a similar age who from memory was perhaps either an Australian or New Zealander.  As we all sat in our living room sipping tea, I was able to witness a conversation that unfolded.  In the quiet, understated tones that seems characteristic of their generation, the two men talked about their individual experience of the War years. Sir Richard talked about his work on radar, while our neighbour revealed that he’d been a bomber pilot – as I remember, flying Lancasters.   

Perhaps the most moving moment was when our neighbour acknowledged that the existence of radar had saved the lives of his many of his fellow bomber crewmen.  He was glad for the opportunity finally to meet someone who had helped develop it – and say, ‘thank you’.

Andy Davies-Coward April 2025