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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.
Acting P/O on Probation, RAF, 1 April 1939.
To No.1 Sq. (in France), 26 November 1939.
On 12 May 1940 he shot down a 109 but
was himself shot down (L1688).
He baled out but was "captured" by French
(or Belgian - Shores) civilians who mistook
him for a German. He was released some
hours later.
Killed in action, 5 February 1941,
( still with No.1 Squadron )
His name is on the Runnymede Memorial. |
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 Do17
one Me109
one Me109
one Me110
one He111
1/2 Ju88 |
destroyed
destroyed
probable
destroyed
probable
destroyed |
France [1]
&
Maastricht [2]
France
Rethel-St. Quentin
near Northolt |
3 / 2 / 0
[1] Shared with F/L Proser Hanks
[2] 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 Art Bishop he refers to him as "Dick"
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