Spitfire Crash 1942

On the 15th September 1942, whilst on a training flight from RAF Rhoose, Spitfire Mark 1a, Serial no. P9322 crashed on to the course of Cardiff Golf Club. The pilot, Sgt. Stewart Davison RAFVR, was killed. He was 19 years of age.

The 11th hole on the course; in the distance the green guarded by a stream, just sort of which was the crash site.

'Long time member of the club, Gwyn Stone, witnessed the crash as a schoolboy. He writes (in 2018) :

Like most school children I found “playtime” the most enjoyable time of day. During the afternoon school break on 15th September 1942 in Lisvane Primary School we were all making the most of the free time in the sun when we heard a most fearful whine, it was sometime before we saw it was coming from a spitfire that had lost its starboard wing.

It was spinning around and falling from a great height, we had not heard any air raid warnings so there were no German planes that afternoon, later we learned the wing had broken off when the plane took a sharp turn.

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We knew the plane must have crashed in the Llanederyn/Cyncoed area but no idea where. As the school numbers had been boosted by several evacuees many billeted in the rural part of Cyncoed they all vowed to find out exactly where it had landed.

Next day claims were made about what they had seen, I am sure they would not have got as close to the wreckage as they would have had us believe but they did discover the pilot was not able to bail out, he was a trainee pilot on a training flight from Rhoose, a 19-year-old from Consett in Northumberland, Stewart Davison.

The crash is recorded, unfortunately, as landing on Llanishen Golf Club, but it was on the Cardiff 11th fairway near the brook and the pool, now guarding the 12th. Apparently, the Club was given a plaque to commemorate the event but as it said Llanishen not Cardiff it was not displayed.

It was definitely in the direction of Cardiff Golf Club and the green keepers were able to show you exactly where.

I have tried to find more details about what happened but could not find a report in the [South Wales] Echo, Western Mail or the Cardiff Times, may be such news was not published also there were a lot of other things going on at the time.

Now when you curse if your ball lands in the Nant Glandulas or the pond, just remember Sgt. Stewart Davison he would be delighted to have enjoyed your bad luck.

For further information please visit the Aircrew Remembered web site.

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