Henry Lamb’s painting, ‘An Instructor of the Royal Air Force Co-operation School’, was painted in 1941 during Lamb's short period at RAF Old Sarum as a war artist. But who exactly is this young instructor? Research by my colleague Alan Crooks has managed to finally name this man.

The painting was exhibited in the nearby @SalisburyMuseum along with other examples of Lamb's work at Old Sarum, such as 'The Overhaul'. Research concludes the young instructor to be a Flt Lt Caradoc Bowen-Davies, son of Mr & Mrs Bowen Davies of Park Place, Cardiff.

Caradoc was a schoolboy when he obtained his RAeC flying certificate in August 1934 with the Cardiff Aeroplane Club, and was commissioned into the RAF in 1937. After a period overseas in France, he became an instructor at the School of Army Co-Operation at RAF Old Sarum.

He became an instructor on Lysanders, moving to 41 Operational Training Unit while based at Old Sarum. It would be while flying over Salisbury Plain on exercise that Bowen-Davies would sadly be killed.

On the 22nd September 1941, Bowen-Davies was flying Lysander II L4810 when it collided with fellow 41 OTU Lysander L4779 (pictured while with 26 Sqn).

Sadly, Bowen-Davies did not survive the crash and was killed. He was survived by his wife, Betty Patricia (nee Nash), and a daughter, Cara Patricia, who was born in 1942.

Henry Lamb subsequently wrote to the War Artists Advisory Committee, “I am terribly dashed by the death this week of that delightful airman […] C. Bowen-Davies. He was night flying. I had palled up with him considerably: he used to come often with his charming young wife”.

Bowen-Davies was brought back to Salisbury, where he was given a private @CWGC burial in St Andrews Churchyard, Laverstock. With thanks to Alan Crooks for the photos and the source material on this brave, young airman. RIP.