David Coke | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1915-12-04)4 December 1915 Norfolk, England |
| Died | 9 December 1941(1941-12-09) (aged 26) Acroma, Libya |
| Buried | Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Service years | 1939–1941 |
| Rank | Flight lieutenant |
| Conflicts | Second World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
David Arthur Coke (/ˈkʊk/KUUK;[nb 1] 4 December 1915 – 9 December 1941) was aflight lieutenant in theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during theSecond World War, and is credited with two destroyed, two probables, and two damaged aircraft during his service.[1] He is known in popular culture for his friendship with the authorRoald Dahl while serving in theRoyal Air Force.[2]
The second son ofThomas Coke, 4th Earl of Leicester, and Marion Gertrude (née Trefusis), Coke was godson of KingEdward VIII of theUnited Kingdom. He was a graduate ofTrinity College, Cambridge.[3]
Coke joined theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in June 1939, the summer before war broke out, and attendedNo. 5 Operational Training Unit in April 1940. He was promoted to the rank of actingpilot officer on 3 September 1940.[4] By August 1940 he flew aHawker Hurricane withNo. 257 Squadron RAF during theBattle of Britain as apilot officer. On 12 August 1940, his Hurricane (P3776) was badly shot up over theEnglish Channel offPortsmouth. His finger was amputated and the aircraft was repaired.[5] Posted to46 Squadron in December 1940, Coke was then promoted toflying officer.[6]
He went on to fight in theBalkans campaign withNo. 33 Squadron and theSyria–Lebanon campaign withNo. 80 Squadron RAF. During this period with No. 80 squadron, he became friends with famed authorRoald Dahl, as detailed in Dahl's autobiographyGoing Solo.[2] Dahl described Coke (pronounced "Cook", he said) as:[7]
. . . warm-hearted and brave and generous, and over the next few weeks we were to become close friends.
When Dahl first arrived as a replacement pilot and met Coke, Coke told him the RAF's situation was "absolutely hopeless." He told Dahl:
'I was in the Battle of Britain before I came here. That was bad enough, but it was peanuts compared to this crazy place. We have no radar here at all . . . The Greeks are our radar. We have a Greek peasant sitting on the top of every mountain for miles around, and when he spots a bunch of German planes he calls up the Ops Room here on a field telephone. That’s our radar." ‘Does it work?’ ‘Now and again it does,’ he said.’
While serving inLibya, Coke was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross for his work in an attack on enemy transport and for his leadership as aflight lieutenant. The citation read:[8]
Flight Lieutenant The Hon. David Arthur COKE (73042), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 80 Squadron (since missing).
This officer participated in an attack on enemy transport on the El-Adem-Acroma road one day in November 1941, in which a large number of vehicles, tanks and mechanised transport were bombed and machine-gunned. The damage inflicted played a very large part in the blocking of the road. By his skill and leadership, Flight Lieutenant Coke contributed materially to the success achieved. In addition to the low flying machine-gunning operations which have been carried out, Flight Lieutenant Coke has led the squadron with great success in air combat. During an engagement 2 days later, the squadron shared in the destruction of 5 Messerschmitt 109's.
Coke was killed in action by enemyBf 109s inAcroma,Cyrenaica, Africa, on Tuesday, 9 December 1941, five days after his twenty-sixth birthday, and buried atKnightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya (Ref. B.A. 3. B. 18).[9][10] He also taught Roald Dahl how to fly a Hurricane.[citation needed]
