Keith Lawrence (RAF officer)

Keith Ashley Lawrence
Lawrence climbing out of a Spitfire, 1940
Born	25 November 1919 Waitara, New Zealand
Died	2 June 2016 (aged 96) Devon, United Kingdom
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1939–1946
Rank	Flight Lieutenant
Battles/wars	Battle of Britain, Siege of Malta
Awards	DFC

Keith Ashley Lawrence DFC (25 November 1919 – 2 June 2016) was a New Zealand-born British Royal Air Force Officer, who was one of the last surviving members of "The Few".

Lawrence was born on 25 November 1919 in Waitara, New Zealand. He was educated at Southland Boys' High School between 1933 and 1936 and after leaving school worked for two years at the National Bank of New Zealand in Invercargill. In June 1938 he applied for a four-year short service commission and was provisionally accepted in November. On 1 February 1939 he sailed for the UK aboard the RMS Tainui with a large draft of other candidates.

Lawrence reported for training as a pupil pilot at 10 E & RFTS (Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School), Yatesbury run for the RAF by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. After successful ab initio training on de Havilland Tiger Moths, he was posted to No. 1 Depot, RAF Uxbridge to be commissioned into the RAF, and on 31 May was posted to No. 5 FTS, RAF Sealand for Service training on Airspeed Oxfords.

After completion of Service training on 31 October, he joined the newly formed No. 234 Squadron RAF at RAF Leconfield on 6 November 1939. Initially the Squadron kept up flying hours in Avro Tutors and Miles Magisters. Further training started on 17 December on Bristol Blenheim Mk 1Fs (this type known as the short-nosed Blenheim). At the end of March the Squadron began to convert to Supermarine Spitfire Mk1s and became operational with them on 8 May. From 9 May 1940 Lawrence was sent for a month's training to become the Squadron Navigation Officer, flying Avro Ansons at the School of Air Navigation RAF St Athan, Glamorgan.