Major Kenneth Stevens Savory D.S.O

‘Flying Ace’ Kenneth Stevens Savory was the sixth child of Arthur Ledsam and Agnes Savory, and younger twin of Reginald Arthur Savory.

He was educated at Uppingham School where he much enjoyed himself; unlike his brother Reggie, who so disliked it, his father had to take him away. He was at Uppingham from September 1908 until December 1912 . He was a member of the 1st XV rugby team in 1911 and 1912. He would have been heavily involved in House (his House, like his brother Charles, being Meadhurst) events, such as Christmas plays & skits , such as the play ‘Browne with an E‘ (see photo below), Christmas dinners and inter house sporting activities. He was also captain of the House Rugby team in 1912. He almost certainly would have been a House Polly (praepostor-prefect).

He certainly seemed to be a character, E.H. Tattersall, writing in the ‘Daily Sketch’ at the time of Kenneth’s death recalled that:

“He was the hero of all his contemporaries at school, a character beloved by writers like E.W. Hornung and Ian Hay. He flaunted authority with magnificent insolence, carrying it all off with a gesture of a d’Artagnan. He strolled about with his hands in his pockets (trouser pockets were forbidden), he smoked, he sat at night in the pubs disguised, often alongside the masters, drinking beer. He broke out at nights to attend the local fairs – and this meant that awful thing, the ‘sack’. And he stormed down the right wing of the football field – the embodiment of a dashing three-quarter, while we cheered as he scored tries in the school matches.”

Kenneth joined the Royal Naval Air Service at Netheravon, Wiltshire at the outbreak of World War One, being appointed Sub-Lieutentant in that Service on 14th September 1914. One of his earliest flights was against the Zepplin raids over England. In 1915, he joined No 2 Wing in the Middle East and in the following spring gained the D.S.O. (Distinguished Service Order) for a daring night flight from Imbros, Turkey to drop bombs on military targets in Constantinople (now Istanbul). His military records include the following (see images below):

Telegram. 664. Mudros(?) 7.5.16:- Decorated with the Croix de Guerre by the French Govt, for services in connection with air raids on Adrianople & Constantinople. M/04126.as01001.V.A.E.M.S. 21.4.16:- Mentioned in Despatches for undertaking the flight to Constantinople on the night 14th-15th April, performing a feat which can seldom be equalled in consideration of the length of the flight & very adverse weather conditions. The return journey was 360 miles & time in the air 6 Hrs 12 mins, in B.E2C [see picture below]Ws 8333 machine. After dropping his pamphlets, he made a perfect course home & landed pretty well done up. He made 2 attacks on the Galataria Sheds, on each occasion straddling & scoring direct hits, which is a remarkable performance under the circumstances. It is doubtful if a finer successful flight under such sustained & terrible climatic conditions has been carried out in the course of the War. The unswerving determination & skill displayed can hardly be too highly commended. In the constant reconnaissances up the Dardanelles, this officer has usually been the leader of the escort, & the skill & daring with which he has on numerous occasions contended with powerful & most ably handled enemy machines is worthy of the highest praise. I recommend this Officer for the D.S.O. London Gazette 22.6.16. Awarded D.S.O.

A/13457 Wing Capt. E. Mediterranean 10.6.16:- A most excellent Officer & skilful Pilot. By his fine  example when in command of scout flight at W 2 Wing, he restored confidence of our Pilots when the enemy Fokker M/Cs were active over the Peninsular. Is now in the command of Unit at Imbros, & has exhibited initiative & ability in a marked degree. Has already been recommended to V. Admiral for acting rank Recommended for promotion. Telegram. Wing Capt E.Mediterranean. 22.7.16.:- Injured by gun accident. Telegram 2944. 25.7.16:- In Hos[pital] Ship “Karapasa”,suffering from Gunshot wound in chest, injury to lung. Extensive wound in right forearm. Condition serious. 30.8.16 Admitted Chatham Hos. Wound R.arm. 4.9.16 Discharged. Re-survey 26.9.16. Still unfit. Re-survey 27.10.16.Reported fit. A/74645.D.A.S. 1.11.16:- Request for re-survey. 1.11.16 M.DOS:- Recommended to be employed in cool climate & not in the Mediterranean at present. Re-survey 1.2.17. Found fit. A/02256. 16.7.17. Awarded Bar to D.S.O for good work in bombing Constantinople. 

His greatest exploit came in 1917, when he flew once more to Constantiople; but this time over a route so lengthy that his effort was described as the longest aeroplane flight, of 2,000 miles, (see article below) which had been made up to that time. Everything was sacrificed to petrol and bombs, for this destination was the German warship Goeben and another vessel near her. For his action in this raid he was awarded a bar to his D.S.O.

In 1917, he returned to England and joined ‘A’ Squadron. He was continuously engaged in long distance bomb raids into Germany until the Armistice. In addition to his D.S.O., he had the Croix de Guerre with palm. The medal is awarded to those who have been “mentioned in dispatches”, meaning a heroic deed or deeds were performed meriting a citation from an individual’s headquarters unit.

After leaving the Royal Navy Air Service in 1919 he made arrangements to fly the Atlantic; but was forestalled by Alcock and Brown. Instead he went to the Gold Coast, Australia for 18 months. In 1923 he joined Dorland Advertising Ltd and in 1931 became Joint Managing Director.

He died at the early age of 45, having previously survived two serious heart attacks. He was a very popular man for reasons well summed up in the following obituary:

“His charm, personality, and readiness to see the other man’s point of view made him one of the most liked men in the business world. Kenneth Savory was a man’s man – when he smiled he brought sunshine into one’s life, when he laughed it was the hearty laughter of good fellowship and camaraderie; but in his serious moments Savory was a thoughtful and profound student of human nature and life to him was a great game to be played in a fine spirit of honesty and helpfulness for one’s fellow creatures.”

He married twice, first to Betty who died and then Dora (the niece of Betty) with whom he had two children, Peter and Penelope-Anne.