The Airmen's Stories - P/O AF Laws

Adrian Francis Laws was born at East Dereham, Norfolk on 10th August 1912, the son of Frank Laws and Dorothy Laws (nee Fanthorpe).

He was educated at Wells School before joining the RAF in March 1931 as an Aircrafthand, he 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 married Ada Mary Fenn Emsden on 26th September 1939 in Saxmundham, Suffolk.

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.

The squadron was aloft with one flight forming a formation and the other practising attacks on it. Laws was leading the target formation. For reasons never discovered, the starboard wing of Spitfire K9805, flown by Sgt. FF Vinyard, struck the rear fuselage of P9564, flown by Laws. The tail broke off completely and the aircraft somersaulted down to crash at Cranswick, 4 miles north of Leconfield. Vinyard regained control of his aircraft and landed safely.

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