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The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. F T Lerway

 

Frederick Thomas Lerway, of Bristol, was born on 1st February 1919 and joined the RAFVR in May 1939 as an Airman u/t WOp/AG. He was called up at the outbreak of war.

After completing his training he joined 236 Squadron at St. Eval on 3rd September 1940 and stayed with the squadron until September 1941, when he went to an OTU as an instructor.

 

Above: with 236 colleagues at Tenby, Easter Sunday 1941

Lerway (rear), Sgt. RRG Keeler (right), Sgt. B Pennycuick (front).

 

Commissioned in January 1943, Lerway went to 53 Squadron Coastal Command in April. He moved to 279 Squadron in May 1943, an ASR unit with Hudsons. In January 1944 Lerway was posted to 281, another ASR unit, operating Warwicks.

He went to the Air Ministry in September 1945, dealing with the demobilisation of RAF personnel.

Lerway was released from the RAF in January 1946 as a Flight Lieutenant.

He emigrated to Canada in 1951 and died in Aurora, Ontario on 26th June 1996.

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His brother AC1 Thomas William Lerway was killed on 14th April 1940 serving with 233 Squadron. Hudson I N7241 ZS-U was shot down by fighters near Hestholmen, Stavanger, Norway.

Also lost were:

Sgt. JL Hawken DFM
Sgt. S McCrossan
LAC ARS Brown.

All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

 

 

 


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