< More Atcherley family photos
Twins David and Richard Atcherley were born on 12 Jan 1904 at York, sons of Major-General Sir Llewellyn William Atcherley, C.M.G., C.V.O. and his wife Eleanor Frances (Micklethwait) and grandsons of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Topping Atcherley.
Air Marshal Sir Richard Llewellyn Roger Atcherley, KBE, CB, AFC and Bar, was widely known as “Batchy” but his nickname within the Atcherley family was “Snick.” After winning the King’s Cup Air Race in 1929 he broke the world air speed record, flying at a speed of 332.63 miles per hour, during that year’s Schneider Cup race. He went on to give demonstrations of ‘crazy flying’ at the National Air Races in America before resuming more serious RAF duties, experimenting with in-flight refuelling, developing the Drem lighting system to guide pilots safely home during World War II, commanding the fledgeling Pakistan Air Force … the list of his achievements and exploits is enormous. The photo above shows Batchy (far right) with his 1929 Schneider Trophy team mates. (Public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.)
Air Vice Marshal David Francis William Atcherley, CB, CBE, DSO, DFC started his military career in the Army but managed to get a secondment to the RAF and then a permanent transfer. The citation for the award of his Distinguished Flying Cross, published in the London Gazette, reads: “Wing Commander David Francis William ATCHERLEY (05168), No.25 Squadron. This officer has carried out a large amount of operational flying at night, sometimes under adverse weather conditions. The efficiency of his squadron and the success it has had is due to Wing Commander Atcherley’s drive, energy and leadership. He has destroyed three enemy aircraft at night.” The picture above, used under the Imperial War Museum Non-Commercial Licence, shows David (far left) with Group Captain P G Wykeham-Barnes, Wing Commander H P Shallard and AVM Basil Embry. Image © IWM (CL 2739).
