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This story was submitted to the People's War website by a volunteer from CSV Berkshire, Amy Williams, on behalf of Kenneth Lewis and has been added to the site with his permission. Kenneth fully understands the site's terms and conditions. Amy Williams is Kenneth Lewis’ grand-daughter.

In order for you to appreciate how happy a day VE day was for me, I need to take you a little bit into the background of my RAF service. I was just 14, at a grammar school, when I became interested in the RAF apprentice scheme at Halton. I had a brother in the RAF who started as a fitter. He was then a flight engineer flying Liberators in Italy. I think it was the glamour of the uniform that appealed to me at that young age. I became an aircraft apprentice and passed out eventually in about 1942. I was on a shortened course because of the war. As I was under 18, I was not able to receive a man's pay so I was still on boy's pay. I volunteered for Air Crew mainly to get out of this financial situation. In 1943 I joined a New Zealand crew on a conversion unit who were flying Sterlings. The pilot of this crew was a Sergeant Wilkinson who was a fruit farmer from Wellington, New Zealand.

We first flew from Newmarket, taking off from the grass on the race course in Sterlings.. We believed that the Sterling was a wonderful aircraft: 70 tons, although we could only get to 12000 or 13000 feet. I completed 12 operations, including Dusseldorf, Wuppertal, with that crew. Then we had a visit to the Squadron by an intelligence officer who wanted to know if we had any knowledge of the German language. Having learnt a little bit of German while at school, I did what you shouldn't do and volunteered and ended up on special duties with 101 Squadron. This Squadron was operating what they called 'airborne cigar', which was jamming equipment. The aircraft was spread amongst the main stream and I flew with Flight Sergeant Evans, and did many operations including 12 to Berlin.

Now it wasn't until my retirement in 1989 that I joined any RAF association whatsoever. It was only then that I found out that my original crew in Sterlings had been lost, shortly after I left them, over Mannheim on 5th September 1943. Four of them were killed including the pilot, and three of them were prisoners of war, some with serious wounds. I also heard from Mike Garbett, who wrote the 'Lancaster at War' books. He gave me information about my second crew, bearing in mind that this is 1989. They all survived, and Wally Evans flew with various airlines after the war including Allied Brewers. I managed to contact Wally and we had a little reunion in 1991.

After the tour of operations I went to Lindholme for training, preparing for the Japanese war which we still had to contend with. I was notified that I'd received the Distinguished Flying Medal in April 1945. I thought this was a bit ironic as I was lucky to survive, I'd been with 2 crews on difficult targets but I'm sure there were lots of braver people than me who had not returned. There were many more acts of gallantry over and above what I had done. The other piece of luck was that by coincidence I was to receive the DFM on VE day, May 8th. What happened was that my father was in Malta and my other brother was on Liberators in Itlay so my mother and an aunt were very pleased to accompany me to the Palace and you can imagine it was a very exciting day for them: getting clothing coupons, crowds were gathering at the palace. My mother was very impressed with the inside of Buckingham Palace and the luxurious fittings and paintings. Afterwards, because of the crowds, we had a job to get into any restaurant for a meal, bearing in mind that the ceremony was at about 10.30 in the morning and the crowds were gathering by that time. My mother made me display the medal at the Regent Palace hotel, and when they saw it was genuine, they gave us a bottle of wine and gave us a seat for five people and we had a nice meal there. Then the day finished by us going to the Prince of Wales theatre where we saw Tommy Trinder in a very good show. So you can see from this that this really was an exceptional day.

As I was a regular in the RAF, having joined in the boy's service, I had to remain in the RAF, and at that time we were obviously training to go to Japan. I went to 7 Squadron, eventually flying in Lincolns, as well as Lancasters, had I did a spell training. As a result of the way that some of the Air Force minds work, I was sent to Adastral house on recruiting. They assumed that because I was a regular I was very keen - although I wasn't all that keen. We were touring the camps, all the RAF camps, with the 'Airman's Cubicle of the Future', the idea being they could see what a good life it was. However I left as soon as I could, which was in 1952, and since then I worked for 37 years in insurance. That really is the story. You can see from that that the Air Force really was just a small portion of my life, and I can hardly believe that this is all more than 50 years ago.

The following is an account of VE day by Kenneth Lewis’ mother, Gladys Caroline Lewis. It was recorded by her husband on the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977.

The recent talks regarding the Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth and the events prior and leading up to her coronation were not only greatly interesting and inspiring, but brought back to memory many events during that period - especially the facts relating to the late King George VI and his great example to the whole nation.

One very special memory as far as I am concerned, was when I was invited to Buckingham Palace to see one of my Son's presented with an award for bravery in the air. The Postcard advising me of the investiture was - by a coincidence - that the award would take place on May 8th. 1945 - V.E. Day. I duly received two admission tickets and as my Husband was in Malta and other Sons serving in the armed forces, I invited my Sister to accompany me to Buckingham Palace; she didn't need a second asking as she was almost as thrilled as I was.

My next concern was an outfit because of clothing coupons, but fortunately with the help of other members of the family we were able to obtain suitable clothing for the occasion.

I was living in the Borough of Margate at the time and on arrival in London I met my Sister and proceeded to Buckingham Palace. After inspection of our admission tickets there, we were escorted across the Palace Yard by two Guards and met at the door of the Palace by Beef-eaters. They took us to our seats in a luxurious room decorated in red and gold and many beautiful paintings: the chairs were also in red and gold.

Where we were seated we had a very clear sight of the platform and door that H.M. the King would come through and we were more than thrilled when he appeared followed by the Lord Chamberlain. Immediately after the King's arrival the 280 people who were being decorated at that investiture came through another door in single file to the platform where the King was standing. Each medal was presented to the King on what appeared to be a velvet cushion.

This is the telegram that Kenneth Lewis’ father, Aubrey Victor Lewis, sent to him on hearing that his son had been awarded the DFM.

168 C CW DGA 681/ R MALTA 23 17

ELT KENNETH LEWIS SPRINGFIELD RUTLANDGARDENS BIRCHINGTON

= HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENT AM VERY PROUD OF YOU AND MORE THAN PLEASED = DAD LEWIS +

8th June 1944

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