Arthur Percival Foley Rhys Davids, DSO, MC (with bar) (September 26, 1897 - October 27, 1917) was a pilot during the First World War. His parents, Thomas William Rhys Davids and Caroline Augusta Foley Rhys Davids were eminent Pali Scholars. September 26 is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 96 days remaining. ... 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Thomas William Rhys Davids (May 12, 1843 - December 27, 1922) was an British scholar of the Pāli language and founder of the Pali Text Society. ... Caroline Augusta Foley Rhys Davids (1857-1942). ... . Pāli (ISO 639-1: pi; ISO 639-2: pli) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ...

Arthur was born in London. He was a successful student throughout his academic career and in 1911 he followed two of his uncles and was enrolled at Eton College as a King's Scholar, where he was successful in Classics and his interests included Poetry, English Literature and Music. He was also a keen sportsman, taking part in Football (Soccer), Cricket, Eton Fives and the Eton Field Game. He was also an accomplished Rugby player, usually playing at Half Back. The Kings College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is a public school (that is, an independent, fee-charging secondary school) for boys. ... An Australian rules football match at the Richmond Paddock, Melbourne, in 1866. ... Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... Cricket is a team sport played between two groups of eleven players each. ... Eton Fives, one code of the British game of Fives, is a hand-ball game, similar to Rugby Fives, played as doubles in a three-sided court. ... The Field Game is one of Eton Colleges two brands of football, the other being the famous Eton Wall Game. ... Rugby Union is a team sport that was developed from the rules used to play football at Rugby School in England. ...

He left Eton in 1916, a Newcastle Scholar, Captain of the school, and therefore a member of "Pop", the Eton Society. He had won an Exhibition at Oxford University, and intended to take up his place at Balliol College when he returned from the war. The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... College name Balliol College Named after John de Balliol Established 1263 Sister College St Johns Master Andrew Graham JCR President Triona Giblin Undergraduates 403 Graduates 228 Homepage Boatclub Balliol College, founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ...

Arthur joined the Royal Flying Corps on 28th August 1916, and on completing his training in England and Scotland he was posted to 56 Squadron and sent to the Western Front. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of World War I. Origin and Early History Formed by Royal Warrant on May 13, 1912, the RFC superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. ... See Western Front (disambiguation) for other meanings. ...

During his first experience of aerial combat on 7th May 1917 he survived an encounter with Kurt Wolff, on the day his Flight Commander Albert Ball was killed in Action. Albert Ball, standing in front of his Nieuport 11. ...

On 5th June 1917 he received a telegram informing him that along with Capt. C.M. Crowe and 2nd Lt. R.T.C. Hoidge he had been awarded the Military Cross Military Cross The Military Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army, and formerly also to officers of the armies of other Commonwealth countries, for distinguished and meritorious services in battle. ...

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion. On many occasions he has shot down hostile machines and put others out of action, frequently pursuing to low altitudes. On all occasions his fearlessness and dash have been most marked."

Arthur himself claimed that although he was excited, he didn't consider that after a month at the front he deserved such an award when Crowe had been to France on three separate occasions.

Arthur later received a bar to his MC

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst on offensive patrols. He has in all destroyed four enemy aircraft, and driven down many others out of control. In all his combats his gallantry and skill have been most marked, and on one occasion he shot down an enemy pilot who had accounted for twenty-nine Allied machines. His offensive spirit and initiative have set a magnificent example to all." (London Gazette 17th Sept. 1917)

On 23rd September 1917 he was credited with having brought down Germany's Werner Voss in one of he most famous dogfights of World War One. Werner Voss (1895–1917) was a World War I German fighter pilot. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

During his six months of active service Arthur amassed a total of 25 victories. He was last seen flying east of Roulers when he went missing on October 27, 1917 and the Germans credited Karl Gallwitz of Jasta Boelcke as having brought him down. He was one month past his 20th birthday. His family hoped he had simply been caught and imprisoned and continued to write to him despite a message claiming he was dead that was dropped over British lines by the Germans. Arthur allegedly carried a book of poetry by William Blake with him into combat in case he was shot down and captured. Roulers is a manufacturing town in West Flanders, 19 miles south-west of Bruges. ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... William Blake (November 28, 1757 – August 12, 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker, or Author & Printer, as he signed many of his books. ...

The British Army declared him as having been killed in action on March 18, 1918. On the same day he was gazetted again, this time for the Distinguished Service Order. March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Source: Veterans Affairs Canada The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and other formerly Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ...

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in bringing down nine enemy aircraft in nine weeks. He is a magnificent fighter, never failing to locate enemy aircraft and invariably attacking regardless of the numbers against him."

People: Aces Aircraft: Allied - Central Powers - Zeppelins
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