NORTH-LEWIS, CD (#286)
#286
Air Cdre CD "Kit" NORTH-LEWIS DSO DFC*
Royal Air Force
Alan Pollock’s Rough Notes:
A work in progress – the fuller biographies will emerge in due course: please sign up to the Newsletter (bottom of the page) and we’ll let you know when we’ve done more justice in writing up our extraordinary signatories.
Air Cdre C D “Kit” NORTH-LEWIS DSO DFC* died in March 2008 just after his 90th birthday. He was born in Dunbar with his father a collier in the Rhonda valley, joining the Army in 1938 and commissioned into the 60th Battalion, QUEEN VICTORIA TERRITORIAL RIFLES, he transferred to the RAF.
After flying training he flew BLENHEIMS with No.13 Sqn (including a diversionary attack during the first 1,000 BOMBER RAID) until June, 1942. He was then posted as “B” Flt Cdr to No. 26(AC) Squadron at GATWICK on TOMAHAWKS and the first MUSTANGS, mainly on FIGHTER RECONNAISSANCE and attacks on rail and road traffic in Northern France, for which he was awarded his first DFC in April 1943.
In the war he flew over 170 operational sorties, many of which were on TYPHOONS as OC 181 Sqn (bar to DFC in August 1944). Later, for his long service between Aug44 and Apr45 as Wing Leader of 124 Wing consisting of 181,182, 247 and 137 Squadrons, his DSO reflected his leadership on “tank busting” operations including the FALAISE pocket and invaluable close air support right up to the RHINE CROSSING.. Near Wesel he was shot down by flak but force-landed on an island, where he was captured but quickly, in turn, took his own captors’ captive as the Allied army advanced.
Post war, among other postings, he would command No. 7 Squadron Valiants, followed later on by the strategic reconnaissance RAF station at Wyton and finally the big Cyprus base at RAF Akrotiri.