A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker

An extremely rare inter-war M.M. group of four awarded to Warrant Officer G. H. Lewis, Royal Air Force, who was decorated for his bravery as a gunner in H.M. Armoured Car “Avenger” during an action with Kurds at Qara Anjir in May 1924 - one of only 11 M.M’s awarded to the R.A.F. between the Wars

Military Medal, G.V.R. (351286 Cpl. G. H. Lewis. 6-Arm. C. Coy. R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Iraq, Active Service Medal, no clasp, generally good very fine (4) £3400-3800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker.

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Provenance: DNW, March 2009.

M.M. London Gazette 20 October 1925:

‘For bravery in the Field, in connection with operations in Kurdistan, in May 1924.’

George Henry Lewis was born at 12 Barton Vale, St. Philips, Bristol, in February 1900. He attested underage, aged 15 and a half, for the Welsh Regiment in July 1915. However, approaching his 16th birthday, on 16 February he was discharged, probably because his true age became known. Two years later, now aged 18, he rejoined the Welsh Regiment, 26 March 1918, and continued to serve with them until his discharge in September 1919. His MIC entry confirms that he was never issued with any Great War campaign medals.

After the war Lewis was employed as a driver with Ocean Collieries in Glamorgan, and enlisted as a AC2 in the Royal Air Force, 8 February 1922. He trained with the Armoured Car Depot at Manston, and was posted with the armoured car force to Iraq in September 1922. Lewis initially served with No. 4 Armoured Car Company at Hinaidi, Baghdad, before transferring to No. 6 Armoured Car Company, at the same place, in November 1922.

Having advanced to Corporal, Lewis served with No. 6 Armoured Car Company during the operations in Kurdistan in 1924. He distinguished himself during these operations and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action against the Kurds at Qara Anjir on 7 May, an action best described by Flying Officer G. A. Elliot, who was in command of His Majesty’s Armoured Car (H.M.A.C.) “Avenger” - a car of the Rolls-Royce variety rather than a Lancia:

‘I have the honour to submit the following report. I arrived at the Assyrian Camp at about 1830 hours with H.M.A.C. “Avenger” and H.M.A.C. “Explorer”. At about 1845 hours Captain Fry of the 2nd Battalion, Iraq Levies, returned from visiting his picquets and reported that a party of 15 Arabs were advancing to attack one of the picquets, having just fired on one of their Camp Arabansh Drivers. There was a track leading to the hills where the Arabs were, and I took two cars, and Captain Fry, as guide, proceeding along this track. A piece of embankment gave way and the leading car (H.M.A.C. “Avenger”) got stuck for about three minutes - here we were first fired on. H.M.A.C. “Avenger” was pulled out of the rut by H.M.A.C. “Explorer”, Corporal Ashcroft jumping out of his car and thus exposing himself to the fire of the Arabs, and helping to place a tow rope on to the “Avenger”. We could only proceed a little further owing to the steepness of the hills. I therefore dismounted the “Avenger’s” gun [manned by Lewis] and ran about 100-150 yards up a side valley and up the hill, thus obtaining cross fire. Captain Fry, meanwhile, covered this with his rifle and shot one of the Arabs. Our machine-gun then came into action and replied to the Arabs’ fire, by spraying the top of the hill with short bursts, one burst hitting the Arab already hit by Captain Fry. During this period “Avenger” and “Explorer” had turned round ready for a retreat, and it being very nearly dark, this I decided to do. Captain Fry and myself covered with rifle fire the withdrawal of the machine-gun and then retreated to the cars, which returned car by car in distances of about 200 yards, each car covering the other’s withdrawal by machine-gun fire, and got back to camp about five minutes before dark. No sniping took place that night. This morning a number of Arabs were seen (about 70 believed to include women) on the adjacent hill tops round the camp. Corporal Lewis, who fired the machine-gun, and Aircraftsman Osborne (No. 2 Gunner) both displayed absolute disregard of fear while under fire, not once hesitating to get and maintain their car in action. Both car drivers and gunners of the “Explorer” carried out their duties in a very satisfactory manner, obeying all orders instantly.’

To this report should be added the following comments of Captain O. M. Fry of the 2nd Battalion, Iraq Levies:

‘Advancing a little further the road became too steep and Flying Officer Elliot gave the order for dismounted action. Covered by the fire of only one rifle, Corporal Lewis carried his Vickers gun to a position some 20 feet above the road and quickly getting into action drove the Kurds off, leaving one of them killed within 20 feet of the gun. Sniping continued for some time until silenced by Corporal Lewis. Owing to the initiative of the Armoured Car Commander and the conduct of his crew, the Kurds never again approached within firing distance of the camp and sniping was effectually arrested.’

But there the story does not end, for Lewis was back in action in “Avenger” on the following day, when several parties of Kurds attempted to ambush his armoured car section about two miles from Qara Anjir - Flying Officer Elliot reporting that his guns returned fire over a distance of 2 or 3 miles of track, killing at least three of the enemy and that ‘All members of the car crews behaved very well, while under the heavy fire of the ambush, maintaining their fire on the Kurds all the time.’

Lewis, and Corporal Ashcroft of the “Explorer”, were awarded M.Ms, the former receiving his decoration by post in January 1926, shortly before being discharged, but he was not entitled to the General Service Medal for the earlier operations in Kurdistan in 1923. He was, however, awarded the Iraq, Active Service Medal, which distinction was sent to him via the Air Ministry in February 1930.

Recalled on the renewal of hostilities, Lewis served as Driver (Mechanical Transport) in the U.K. and India, was awarded the Defence and War Medals and was finally discharged as a Warrant Officer in July 1947. He died at the Royal Infirmary Bristol, in December 1963.

Sold with a large file of copied research, including related official reports and entries from No. 6 Armoured Car Company’s war diary.

N.B. A single George V M.M. inscribed to ‘Cpl. G. H. Lewis, R.A.F.’ was included in a sale at Glendining & Co., 22 July 1975 (see Lot 245), but was withdrawn from sale on being found to be unofficially named.