Raymond Grant "Dick" Lewis

RAF    F/O    -    MiD

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LEWIS, P/O Raymond Grant (41852) - Mention in Dispatches - No.1 Squadron
Awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 January 1941.

Since 10th May 1940, this officer has been involved in four combats with, two of which were against a much superior force of enemy fighters and each time he shot down one enemy aircraft. On the latter occasion he had to land by parachute. His courage is undauntable and no odds are too great for him.

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Born in Ft. Qu'Appelle Sask.
Home in Vancouver.
Brother of Esquire Lewis of Vancouver

Appointed Acting P/O on Probation, RAF, 1 April 1939.
To No.1 Squadron (then in France), 26 November 1939.

On 12 May 1940 he shot down a Bf.109 but was himself shot down (L1688); parachuting to safety, he was nevertheless imprisoned by French (or Belgian - Shores) civilians who mistook him for a German; he was let go after several hours.

Killed in action, 5 February 1941,
( still with No.1 Squadron )
His name is on the Runnymede Memorial.

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NOTE:   Public Record Office Air 2/8884 has a recommendation for a DFC which apparently did not go through. The same document has the quota formula for Advanced Air Striking Force non-immediate awards for May 1940. There had ben 1,444 flying hours carried over from April 1940, to which were added 2,223 hours in May (total of 2,667). Application of a divisor (150) gave a figure of 24 awards, but there had already been 17 immediate awards plus two Victoria Cross awards made, leaving only five. The Advanced Air Striking Force was, on this occasion, recommending 38 awards (one Bar to DFC, 17 DFCs, 17 DFMs, one MM and two Military Medals). It may well be that his DFC did not go through because the quota was so restricted on this occasion.

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Victories Include :

10 May 1940
12 May 1940

14 May 1940
19 May 1940   
30 Oct 1940

 1/2 Do 17
one Bf 109
one Bf 109
one Bf 110
one He 111   
1/2 Ju 88 		destroyed
destroyed  &
probable
destroyed
probable   
destroyed		 France *

Maastricht **
France
Rethel-St. Quentin
near Northolt

* shared with F/L Proser Hanks
** then shot down himself in Hurricane L1688

stats from Shores "Those other Eagles" &
"12 Days In May" by Cull, Landers & Weiss
Where he is refered to as "Richard" a number of times
Also in "The Splendid Hundred" by Bishop he refers to him as "Dick"

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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On these pages I use info from the Air force Association of Canada's web site
in Hugh Halliday's excellent Honors & Awards section,
Newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC)
as well as other sources both published and private

 

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