Raymond Mayhew Lewin

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Raymond Mayhew Lewin GC
14 January 1915 – 21 November 1941
Place of birth	Kettering
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Years of service	1936-1941
Rank	Pilot Officer
Unit	No. 109 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	George Cross

Pilot Officer Raymond Mayhew Lewin GC (14 January 1915–21 November 1941) of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve was (whilst a Sergeant) awarded the George Cross for the courage he showed in rescuing his co-pilot from their burning plane on the 3 November 1940 in Malta.

1 Biography
2 George Cross
3 References
4 See also

[edit] Biography

He was born on 14 January 1915, in Kettering, educated at St Edward's School in Oxford and joined the RAFVR in the spring of 1936^[1] On 15 March 1941 he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer (with seniority backdated to 27 January 1941).^[2] He was killed in action on the 21 November 1941,^[3] whilst flying with No. 109 Squadron RAF, and is buried in his home town of Kettering.^[4]

[edit] George Cross

The citation was published in the London Gazette of 7 March 1941 (dated 11 March):^[5]

“

In November, 1940, Sergeant Lewin was the captain of an aircraft on a night bombing mission. Shortly after the take off the aircraft began to sink and crashed into a hillside where it burst into flames. Sergeant Lewin extricated himself and saw three of his crew of four climbing out of the escape hatch. He ordered them to run clear. He then ran round the blazing wing in which full petrol tanks were burning and crawled under it to rescue his injured second pilot. Despite his own injuries - a cracked kneecap and severe contusions on the face and legs - he dragged and carried the pilot some 40 yards from the aircraft to a hole in the ground, where he lay on him just as the bombs exploded. This superbly gallant deed was performed in the dark under most difficult conditions and in the certain knowledge that the bombs and petrol tanks would explode.

”