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DAY Miles Jeffrey Game D.S.C.
Flight Commander, 13 Naval Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service
Killed in Action 27 February 1918, West of Dunkirk
Born 1 December 1896, aged 21
Son of George Dennis Day (Solicitor & Town Clerk) and Margaret Jane (Meta) Day of ‘Rheola’ St. Ives, Huntingdonshire.
Brother of George Lewis Day 1890-1972 and Gladys Marjorie Day 1894-1984
[His mother, Margaret Jane (Meta) Day, was the daughter of the late Lewis Davis of 'Bryn-Derwen', Ferndale, Glam, J.P. and colliery proprietor].
Miles 'Jeffrey' Game DAY D.S.C.
His brother was also a casualty of the war
His brother was also a casualty of the war
Jeffery Day, a deceased war poet.
(N.B. His forename is usually spelt Jeffrey)
He was commissioned in the R.N.A.S. in 1914.
Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
On 19 December 1917 Day joined No. 13 Squadron RNAS, seeing action over a period of six weeks during which he destroyed a total of five enemy planes.
For these actions he was awarded the DSC “for great skill and bravery as a fighting pilot”.
But by the time that announcement was gazetted on 16 March 1918 Day was already dead.
‘For great skill and bravery as a fighting pilot.
On the 25th January he attacked, single-handed, six enemy triplanes, one of which he shot down. On the 2nd February, 1918, he attacked and destroyed an enemy two-seater machine on reconnaissance at 18,000 feet.
He destroyed several enemy machines in a short space of time, and, in addition, had numerous indecisive engagements'..
Supplement to the London Gazette, 16 March 1918 (30581/3395)
On 27 February 1918, leading a flight of five aircraft, Day was shot down by six German aircraft which he attacked single-handed, out at sea.
His commanding officer reported: March 1918.
I regret to inform you that Commander Day fell in action on February the 27th. last.
He was shot down by six German aircraft which he attacked single handed out to sea.He had out distanced his flights, I think because he wished to break the enemy's formation in order to make it easier for the less experienced people behind him to attack.
He hit the enemy and they hit his machine which burst into flames but not a bit flurried him and he nose dived, flattened out and landed perfectly on the water.
He climbed out of his machine and waved his fellow pilots back to their base; being in aeroplanes (not sea planes) they could not assist him.
An immediate and prolonged search was made for him but in vain.
With deepest sympathy,
H.
No trace was ever found of him or his aircraft.
From Huntingdonshire Heroes of the First World War by John Bell ISBN 0 946965 21 8. Letter about Commander Day's last dog fight.
Jeffery Day 1886-1918 was the most famous poet in the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War.Day had begun writing poems during his spare time – initially writing humorous verses, he began writing longer serious poems, encouraged by his friend Edward Hilton Young. Although only three of his poems were published during his lifetime – ‘On the Wings of the Morning’, ‘An Airman’s Dream’ and ‘To My Brother’ – a collection of his poems – Poems and Rhymes – was published posthumously in 1919. The preface was written by Edward Hilton Young, himself a poet, who was introduced to Day by fellow-pilot author Erskine Childers.
'Poems and Rhymes' by Jeffery Day
References
Stephenson, M. (2014). "Dennis Ivor Day, oarsman, of St Ives & Cambridge". St Ives Rowing Club.
Bibliography
Day, Jeffery (1919). Poems and Rhymes. London: Sidgwick & Jackson, Ltd.
(N.B. His forename is usually spelt Jeffrey)
Poems and Rhymes (1919, as 'Jeffery Day')
Acknowledgment:
Andy Pay's research into the
Marquis de Ruvigny' s Roll of Honour Volume 1, part 2, page 96:
Roll-of-Honour.com
88 Laurel Walk, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7NT
The Aerodrome website:
http://www.theaerodrome.com
has much more information concerning his service
Units served
HMS Vindex
HMS Cassandra
No. 13 Squadron RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service)
Victories - 5
1 Shared with FSL John Paynter (B3782)
2 Shared with FSL J C Stovin (N6349), FSL E V Bell (B3773), FSL John Paynter (B3782), FSL G D Smith (N6345)
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