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Keith Lawrence
| Squadron Leader Keith Lawrence DFC (deceased) Keith Lawrence was born in New Zealand at Waitara on November 25th 1919. After attending Southland Boys High School at Invercargill, Lawrence went to work in a local bank in December 1936. In November 1938 he applied to join the RAF and was accepted for pilot training in Britain and sailed in February 1939. In November 1939 Keith Lawrence completed his flying training and joined the newly-formed 234 Squadron, which flew Spitfires throughout the Battle of Britain. Whilst based at St Eval in Cornwall, Lawrence shared 234s first victory on 8th July 1940 with the destruction of a Ju88 which was attacking a convoy in the Western Approaches. 234 Squadron was posted to Middle Wallop on 15 August. On 15 September Lawrence was posted to 603 Squadron at Hornchurch, and on 8 October moved to 421 Flight at Gravesend, a unit which early the following year became 91 Squadron. During the Battle of Britain he destroyed two enemy aircraft and damaged four others. Whilst on a weather reconnaissance on 26 November 1940, Lawrences Spitfire was shot down by ME 109s, his Spitfire breaking up and throwing him clear to parachute into the sea. Lawrence was picked up by a RNLI lifeboat, and having suffered severe leg injuries and a dislocated arm, was taken to hospital. He returned to 91 Squadron on the 16th of January 1942. On the 17th of February 1942 Lawrence was posted to 185 Squadron in Malta. At this time, the island's capital Valetta and its airfields were suffering almost constant bombardment from bombers with fighter escorts which generally considerably outnumbered the defending fighters. While in Malta, Lawrence was promoted to squadron commander. The Squadron flew Hurricanes until Spitfires arrived on 9 May. Lawrence returned to the UK from Malta at the end of June 1942, and began a long period as an instructor. He served at three different Operational Training Units, and after receiving training at the Central Gunnery School at Sutton Bridge, became a gunnery instructor flying Spitfires. Lawrence returned to operations with 124 Squadron from early February until the end of April 1945. The unit had been successfully intercepting German reconnaissance aircraft at 50,000 feet plus, using Spitfire VIIs with pressurised cockpits, flying from Manston. As Lawrence arrived, it was re-equipping with Spitfire IX's to carry out dive-bombing attacks on V2 sites around The Hague from RAF Coltishall. After each aircraft had dropped its 1000 lb bomb-load, it flew on to captured airfields in Belgium, and refuelled and re-armed, before bombing targets again during the return flight to Coltishall. The unit also carried out daylight escorts for bombers raiding into Germany. From the end of August 1945 Lawrence flew Meteors with 124 Squadron until he was released from the RAF in March 1946. He returned to New Zealand and settled in Christchurch but later returned to Britain. He died on 2nd June 2016. |
Items Signed by Squadron Leader Keith Lawrence DFC (deceased) |
  | Victory Over Malta by Ivan Berryman. (B) Price : £270.00 | George Beurling in Spitfire VC BR301 in action against a Macchi 202 over Malta in 1942. ...... | |
  | Clipped Signature - Keith Lawrence. Price : £45.00 | A New Zealander, he joined No.234 Sqn RAF flying Spitfires throughout the Battle of Britain, scoring two victories. He joined No.603 Sqn then No.91 Sqn, where his Spitfire was shot down by Me109s and he baled out into the sea. He returned and joine...... | |
  | Those Valiant Few by Robert Taylor. SOLD OUT | The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It wa...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Those Valiant Few by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It wa...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Those Valiant Few by Robert Taylor. (B) SOLD OUT | The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It wa...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Height and Sun by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | If you had the height, you controlled the battle. If you came out of the sun, the enemy could not see you. If you held your fire until you were very close, you seldom missed. These three basic rules contributed to the prowess in aerial combat of som...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Height and Sun by Robert Taylor. (B) SOLD OUT | If you had the height, you controlled the battle. If you came out of the sun, the enemy could not see you. If you held your fire until you were very close, you seldom missed. These three basic rules contributed to the prowess in aerial combat of som...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. Price : £180.00 | If the German and Italian forces were to succeed in their campaign in North Africa something had to be done about Malta. British submarines and torpedo carrying aircraft based on the tiny Mediterranean island were wreaking havoc with Axis shipping, ...... | |
| | Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. (AP) Price : £270.00 | If the German and Italian forces were to succeed in their campaign in North Africa something had to be done about Malta. British submarines and torpedo carrying aircraft based on the tiny Mediterranean island were wreaking havoc with Axis shipping, ...... | |
| | Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. (B) Price : £230.00 | If the German and Italian forces were to succeed in their campaign in North Africa something had to be done about Malta. British submarines and torpedo carrying aircraft based on the tiny Mediterranean island were wreaking havoc with Axis shipping, s...... |
| | Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. (XX) SOLD OUT | If the German and Italian forces were to succeed in their campaign in North Africa something had to be done about Malta. British submarines and torpedo carrying aircraft based on the tiny Mediterranean island were wreaking havoc with Axis shipping, ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. (Y) Price : £170.00 | If the German and Italian forces were to succeed in their campaign in North Africa something had to be done about Malta. British submarines and torpedo carrying aircraft based on the tiny Mediterranean island were wreaking havoc with Axis shipping, ...... | |
  | Valiant Response by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Valiant Response by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £295.00 | The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the ...... | |
| | Valiant Response by Robert Taylor. (C) SOLD OUT | The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | The Struggle for Malta by Ivan Berryman. (D) Price : £420.00 | Having been initially intercepted by just three ageing Gloster Gladiators, who gallantly gave both the Germans and Italians the impression of a much bigger resistance in the skies above Malta, the Italian Air Force was suddenly confronted by the more...... | |
  | George Cross Island Association 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Print by John Young. Price : £280.00 | Official limited edition print of the 60th Anniversary of the George Cross Island Association. Spitfires from one of Maltas most famous squadrons, 249, climbing up over Valetta harbour in the summer of 1942. The panorama beneath the aircraft is the...... | |
| | George Cross Island Association 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Print by John Young. (Y) Price : £240.00 | Official limited edition print of the 60th Anniversary of the George Cross Island Association. Spitfires from one of Maltas most famous squadrons, 249, climbing up over Valetta harbour in the summer of 1942. The panorama beneath the aircraft is the...... | |
  | Portrait of Pilot Officer Keith Ashley Lawrence DFC, 234 amd 603 Sqn New Zealand by David Pritchard Price : £40.00 | ...... | |
  | High Spirits by David Pritchard Price : £190.00 | It is high summer in 1940 and the Battle of Britain rages on. St North Weald the fighter pilots of 249 Gold Coast Squadron enjoy a well earned breather whilst their battle scarred Hurricanes are refueled and re armed ready for the next scramble whic...... |
Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Squadron Leader Keith Lawrence DFC (deceased) |
   | Pack of 4 Hurricane and Typhoon prints by Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £500.00 Saving : £350 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Defence of the Capital by Gerald Coulson. Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. Striking Back by Gerald Coulson. Normandy Sunrise by Gerald Coulson. | |
   | Hawker Hurricane Fighter Print Pack. Pack Price : £390.00 Saving : £405 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Merlin Roar by Anthony Saunders. (I) Hurricane Patrol by Graeme Lothian. (C) Defence of the Capital by Gerald Coulson. Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. Hurricane Mk.IIC by Ivan Berryman. (F) | |
| | Pack 861. Two Hurricane Aircraft prints by Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £290.00 Saving : £140 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Defence of the Capital by Gerald Coulson. Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. | |
 | Hawker Hurricane Prints by David Pentland and Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £220.00 Saving : £140 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. Can Openers by David Pentland. (D) | |
 | Hawker Hurricane Aviation Prints by Robert Taylor and Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £340.00 Saving : £150 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Undaunted by Odds by Robert Taylor. Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. |
| | Pilot Signed Hurricane Prints by Robert Taylor and Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £330.00 Saving : £160 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Undaunted by Odds by Robert Taylor. Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. |
