The Airmen's Stories - P/O AF Laws

Adrian Francis Laws was born at East Dereham, Norfolk on 10th August 1912. He joined the RAF in March 1931 as an Aircrafthand and trained as a Storekeeper. In November 1932 Laws was posted to the Middle East. He later applied for pilot training, was selected and began flying at 4FTS Abu Sueir in July 1935. With the course completed, Laws joined 64 Squadron at Ismailia on 20th April 1936, as a Sergeant-Pilot.

The squadron returned to the UK in September 1936 and Laws was still serving with it at the outbreak of war, at Church Fenton. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on 1st July 1940. On the 12th Laws shared in the destruction of a He111, on 29th July he claimed a Me109 destroyed, on 11th August he damaged a Me109, on the 13th damaged a Do17, on the 15th claimed a Me109 destroyed and on the 18th destroyed a Me110 and shared a He111.

He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 17th September 1940). Commissioned on 28th September, Laws was killed on the 30th when he was in collision with another Spitfire during a routine patrol. The tail unit of his Spitfire, P9564, was sheared off and he spiralled to the ground.

Laws was 28. He is buried in Wells-next-the Sea Cemetery, Norfolk.