Lieutenant Ivan Beauclerk HART-DAVIES
No 35 Training Squadron Royal Flying Corps

Date of birth: 21st April 1878
Date of death: 27th July 1917

Killed on active service aged 39
Buried at Southam (St James) Churchyard, Warwickshire
He was born at Huntingdon on the 21st of April 1878 the son of the Reverend John Hart-Davies, Vicar of Southam, and Florence Emily Rachael (nee Beauclerk) of Southam Rectory, Warwickshire.

He was educated at a school at Maidenhead and at the King’s School Canterbury from January 1894 to July 1897 where he played 1st XV Rugby from 1895 to 1896 and 1st XI Cricket in 1896 and 1897, being awarded his colours the same year. On leaving King's he was taught by Captain James, an army tutor of Lexham Gardens, London.

On leaving school he continued to play rugby, representing Hampstead Wanderers, Blackheath, Kent and the Midlands. In 1898 or 1899 he took the examinations for the Indian Police Service but "just" failed. He then took a position as a school master at New Beacon School in Sevenoaks. In 1905 he created a life and motor insurance broking business based in Rugby. While he lived in Rugby he was a scoutmaster for four years and rose to Assistant District Commissioner of Scouts.

He held the “end to end” record for motor cycle and for light car travelling from John O’ Groats to Lands End leaving on a Monday at 3am and arriving on Tuesday, in a time of 29 hours 12 minutes during which he covered 880 miles at an average speed of 30 miles an hour. He was driving a specially adapted Triumph bike with an enlarged fuel tank. He also competed in the Isle of Man TT and won the Murren Cup at bobsleigh despite neither he nor his three team mates having bobsleighed before. He took up flying before the war obtaining his Royal Aero Club certificate (No 643) on the 6th of October 1913 at the Grahame White School, Hendon. His address at the time was 22, Warwick Street, Rugby.

On the outbreak of war he tried to join up but was rejected on the grounds of his age but due to his flying experience he applied for a commission in the Special Reserve of Officers for the Royal Flying Corps on the 28th of February 1916. He attended a medical examination at the War Office on the 15th of March 1916 at which it was recorded that he weighed 171lbs and that he was fit for general service. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on probation in the Royal Flying Corps on the 15th of April 1916 and was posted to Christ Church Oxford for officer training on the same day. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 19th of August 1916, was posted as a flying instructor and served during 1917 at No.2 Auxiliary School of Aerial Gunnery at Turnberry in Scotland. Although he was later passed for overseas service he continued to work as an instructor in England.

On the 27th of July 1917 he took off from Northolt aerodrome in Bristol F2B A7103 with Lieutenant A.D. Miller as his Observer. As he came in to land the aircraft suddenly nosedived and crashed. Ivan Hart-Davies is said to have died from “the shock of the fall” while Lieutenant Miller was injured.

A brother officer wrote:-

“A gallant fellow whom we all liked immensely, and are deeply grieved that he should have been fatally injured when he so much wished to go to France, where doubtless he would have won honours”

He is commemorated on the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society war memorial at Rugby and is buried in his family's plot.
 

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