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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists World War Two Veteran Signatures UK and Commonwealth L  Lewis, Larry |
[UP] - Lacey, Ginger - Lallemant, Raymond - Lamb, Alistair - Lamb, Archie - Lamb, Charles - Lammas, A - Langston, John - Lapsley, Sir John - Large, R - Lasham, Bob - Lawrence, Keith - Le Cheminant, Sir Peter - Learoyd, Roderick - Leathart, James - Leckie, Bill - Lee, Edgar - Lee, Kenneth - Leggett, Percival - Leigh, Arthur - Leksinski, Rudolf - Levy, Harry - Lewis, C - Lewis, I - Lewis, Larry - Lewis, Reg - Lily, Ken - Linaker, Jack - Lincoln, John - Lindsay, James - Linney, Ian - Livermore, R - Loveland, Eric - Lovell, Derek - Lowe, Drane - Lowe, F - Lowe, Julian - Lowrie, Donald - Lucas, Laddie - Lucas, Robin - Lucas, W - Lusher, Norman - Lusty, Kenneth - Lyon, Jack |
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 Aviation Art |
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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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Larry Lewis signing the print - Returning from Caen - by Graeme Lothian |
Larry Lewis signing the print - Crewing Up - by Graeme Lothian |
| Sqd Ldr Larry Lewis DFC DFM Aircraft details |
 Dakota Manufacturer : Douglas | Dakota DOUGLAS DAKOTA, Transport aircraft with three crew and can carry 28 passengers. speed 230-mph, and a altitude of 23,200 feet. maximum range 2,100 miles. The Douglas Dakota served in all theatres of world war two, The Royal Air Force received its first Douglas Dakota's in April 1941, to 31 squadron which was serving in India. These were DC2, later DC3 and eventually C-47 Dakotas were supplied. The Douglas Dakota was developed from the civil airliner of the 1930's. The Royal Air Force received nearly 2,000 Dakotas, But many more than this served in the US Air Force and other allied countries. The last flight of a Douglas Dakota of the Royal Air Force was in 1970. You can still see Douglas Dakota's in operational and transport use across the world. |
 Wellington Manufacturer : Vickers | Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a Bomber aircraft and also used for maritime reconnaissance. and had a normal crew of six except in the MKV and VI where a crew of three was used. Maximum speed was 235 mph (MK1c) 255 mph (MK III, X) and 299 mph (MK IIII), normal operating range of 1805 miles (except MK III which was 1470miles) The Wellington or Wimpy as it was known, was the major bomber of the Royal Air Force between 1939 and 1943. The Royal Air Force received its first Wellingtons in October 1938 to 99 squadron. and by the outbreak of World war two there were 6 squadrons equipped with the Vickers Wellington. Due to heavy losses on daylight raids, the Wellington became a night bomber and from 1940 was also used as a long range bomber in North Africa. and in 1942 also became a long range bomber for the royal Air Force in India. It was well used by Coastal Command as a U-Boat Hunter. The Wellington remained in service with the Royal Air Force until 1953. Probably due to its versatile use, The aircraft was also used for experimental work including the fitting of a pressure cabin for High altitude tests. The Vickers Wellington could sustain major damage and still fly, probably due to its construction of its geodesic structure and practical application of geodesic lines. Designed by Sir Barnes Wallis |
| Sqd Ldr Larry Lewis DFC DFM Squadron details |
No.12 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , PH, GZ, QE, | No.12 Sqn RAF Leads the field |
No.357 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 15th November 1945 | No.357 Sqn RAF (Special Duties) Mortem hostibus - We bring death to the enemy |
No.501 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 10th March 1957 Known Codes : , SD, RAB, ZH, | No.501 Sqn RAF County of Gloucester, City of Bristol (Auxiliary) Nil time - Fear nothing |
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