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Sqd Ldr Larry Lewis DFC DFM Signed Naval Art
Sqd Ldr Larry Lewis DFC DFM
Squadron Leader Larry Lewis (born October 25th 1918 in Bristol, died May 12th 2014) earned the DFM as an air gunner before training as a pilot. After picking up air crash survivors from behind Japanese-held lines in Siam, he was awarded the DFC. On May 29th 1945 Japanese fighters shot down a Liberator bomber of 358 Squadron over Siam (Thailand) during a flight to drop supplies and US Special Forces to the 'Seri Thai' (Free Thailand) Resistance movement. Some of the crew and passengers survived the crash landing and were sheltered by natives and police. Once SOE in India had been alerted to the plight of the survivors, a rescue mission was mounted. On June 14th Lewis took off in his Dakota and flew at very low level to a remote airstrip at Pukio in Siam. He found the short runway adequate but the aircraft became bogged down at the end of the landing run. Within an hour, however, it had been recovered with the aid of Siamese workers and Lewis took off with seven passengers, including some of the crew of the crashed Liberator. The citation to his DFC concluded, he successfully completed a mission well into enemy territory, in daylight. The results obtained are an excellent tribute to his outstanding ability. One of seven children, Laurence 'Larry' Godfrey Lewis was born in Bristol on October 25 1918 and educated at Bristol Grammar School. He won a Pelaquin Scholarship but had to leave school at 15 to help support his family. He joined the Auxiliary Air Force as a metal rigger in May 1939 and served with No 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron. Equipped with Hurricane fighters, and based in the south of England, the squadron was heavily involved during the Battle of Britain. Lewis volunteered for pilot training but was selected to be an air gunner, commencing his training in late 1940. At the end of the year he was posted to No.12 Squadron equipped with the Wellington bomber. During a daylight attack on Brest, his aircraft was attacked by a German fighter, which he engaged and probably shot down. He completed 33 operations over enemy territory as a rear gunner including the three 'Thousand Bomber Raids' in the spring of 1942. He was awarded the DFM for his outstanding keenness, reliability and devotion to duty. Lewis was finally selected for pilot training, which he completed in Canada where he converted to the Dakota. He arrived in the Far East in January 1945 and joined No 357 (Special Duties) Squadron at Jessore near Calcutta. Over the next six months he completed 42 operations dropping supplies and agents over Burma and Siam. Some of these long-range missions involved flying over enemy territory for many hours and in extreme weather conditions to find small clearings marked by flares and cloth panels. Some areas were so small that as many as eight or nine runs were necessary before all the loads could be dropped, sometimes from heights of 100 feet. After the capture of Rangoon, flights were mounted from advanced airfields when sorties could be mounted deep into Siam, Indo-China and Malaya in support of clandestine forces. Lewis flew his final sortie on August 3rd 1945 when he made eleven runs to drop his 'packages' over a clearing in southern Burma. After serving at Air HQ Burma in a plans appointment, Lewis was released form the RAF in March 1946. He received the Air Efficiency Award.
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| Distinguished Flying Cross | Distinguished Flying Medal |
| Sqd Ldr Larry Lewis DFC DFM - Signed Naval Art Naval Crew Signatures |
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| Text for the above items : |
Larry Lewis DFC by Graeme Lothian. At 3.30am on the 23rd June 1945, a Dakota of 357 (special duties) Squadron took off from Mingaladon airfield nr. Rangoon , to travel the 600 miles, 300 of them behind enemy lines, to rescue a downed American Liberator crew deep in the jungles of Siam . The Dakota was flown by pilot Fl Lt. Larry Lewis, who already held the DFM awarded to him for 33 ops as a rear gunner on Wellingtons in 1941. Two crews had already failed when Lewis was asked to attempt this hazardous mission. Flying between 5,000 - 6,000ft he flew over The Hump, a ridge of mountains running down the spine of Burma . Local villagers had cleared a rough airstrip 800yds long with Lewis finding it by the time dawn broke. With monsoon clouds gathering, the Liberator crew aboard and the Dakota sinking in the wet ground, he managed, just, to get airborne. Flying at zero feet and looking out for Japanese Zero fighters Lewis took a different course back. Although being fired on from the ground they managed to make it all the way to the airfield at Dum Dum nr. Calcutta , India . Lewis was awarded an immediate DFC. By the end of the war he had completed 63 ops, held the rank of Squadron Leader with his service from 1938-1945, and was awarded the Air Efficiency Medal. |
Wellingtons by Keith Woodcock. On a snow covered airfield in winter, ground crew prepare a Wellington for its next mission while a 2nd Wellington is being refueled. |
Wimpey Wonderland by Keith Aspinall. Returning from a night mission, two Wellington bombers return over the snow covered fields of England. A fitting tribute to the air crews of the Wellington squadrons of World War Two. |
Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian. Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC. |
Dawn Return by Anthony Saunders. (APB) A Wellington returns low over the calm, dawn water of the North Sea, vainly struggling to maintain both height and speed. |
Lancaster VC by Graeme Lothian. Lancasters of 61 Squadron head out for the enemy coast during the night of 3rd November 1943. Seen in the lead Lancaster is Flt Lt Bill Reid flying QR-O. After sustaining two heavy attacks by enemy night fighters, killing two crew members and injuring Reid in the head, shoulders and hands. He carried on to the target, dropping accurately his bomb load. Navigating back by Pole Star and Moon, he lost consciousness on occasions due to blood loss. He managed to find his way Shipdharn. Upon landing the undercarriage collapsed but luckily did not catch fire. For his exploits that night he was awarded the Victoria Cross. |
Dakota Over Burma by Geoff Lea. No text for this item |
Crewing Up by Graeme Lothian. Crew of Lancasters 101 Squadron RAF, stand chatting and drinking cups of tea supplied by the WMCA vans. Delays in Ops for an hour or so allow the crews a chance to light up and have a cup of tea. 101 Squadron based at Ludford Magna were a squadron with a difference, from 1943 the Lancasters were fitted with special radio jamming equipment known as ABC or AirBorne Cigar and carried an eighth crew member known as the special duties operator. Squadron letters were SR and targeted by the Luftwaffe fighters giving 101 Squadron the highest casualty rating in Bomber Command. |
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