Gwilym Lewis ~ WW1 fighter ace

Cover neatly signed by

Wing Commander Gwilym H Lewis DFC

Capt RFC – RAF
32 Squadron (1916)
40 Squadron (1917/18) France

The cover is in Fine condition, postmarked Arlington Virginia Nov 11 1982, and is annotated and signed by Gwilym Lewis.

Gwilym Lewis was sent to the Somme with the RFC in 1916 as a boy of eighteen.  He fought in two leading fighter squadrons, won the DFC and was credited with 12 victories.  In WWII he was a member of Churchill’s planning staff.  He died in 1996 aged 99 as the last RFC pilot to have flown in the Battle of the Somme.

His memoir, ‘Wings Over The Somme‘, is viewed as one of the best WW1 fighter pilot memoirs: “The value of this book lies in its wealth of day-to-day detail and routine life and work in an operational unit…….Gwilym Lewis has poured out pure gold” Cross and Cockade Society Journal.

Citation for award of the Distinguished Flying Cross

Lieut. (T./Capt.) Gwilym Hugh Lewis (Northamptonshire Regiment).

It is largely due to this officer’s ability and judgment as a flight leader that many enemy machines have been destroyed with very few casualties in his formation. He is bold in attack, and has personally accounted for eight enemy aircraft, displaying marked disregard of personal danger.

An excellent WW1 signature.