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 damaged a Dornier Do 17 and then joined an attack on a formation of 12 Messerschmitt Bf 109s, one of which he pursued to the coast and shot down.

[2] Also on 7 September 234 Squadron lost two important members, its inspirational force, Australian Pat Hughes, who was Lawrence's flight commander, and its CO S/Ldr O'Brian.

421 (Reconnaissance) Flight RAF, initially based at Gravesend, Kent, and subsequently at West Malling, Biggin Hill and Hawkinge.

The unit was formed by Winston Churchill and Dowding[6] to operate in the specialised role of making visual observation and reporting on the approach of high-flying fighter sweeps, and acquired the nickname of the Jim Crow Flight.

On 27 November, whilst flying alone on an early morning weather recce over Ramsgate he unsuccessfully attacked 3 Bf 109s from III./JG 26,[9] but was 'bounced' and shot down by the fourth.

[7] The defending Hurricanes were considerably outnumbered by enemy fighters escorting the bombers and were slower and less well-armed than the German cannon-equipped Bf 109Fs.

[14] Whilst Lawrence was on the island, it was regarded as normal for the squadron to be scrambled two or three times a day in response to raids by anything from 20 to 100+ aircraft.

Prior to the arrival of its Spitfires, on several days in April and early May the squadron could only muster 3 or 4 serviceable Hurricanes for scrambles.

[16] On 9 May, the day on which the Squadron received its first consignment of Spitfire Mk Vb's, Lawrence destroyed one of the Junkers Ju 87 Stukas which was dive-bombing Grand Harbour, Luqa and defence gun positions.

[16] On 10 May he destroyed another of the Stukas[15] this time dive-bombing the Welshman, a fast minelayer now tied up at the jetty at Grand Harbour which had arrived at dawn, but which had been converted for carrying badly needed cargo including fighter fuel, ammunition, spare engines, air crew and a large amount of mail.

Following this, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (gazetted on 12 September 1942) the citation stating "This officer has displayed great courage and outstanding keenness.

[7] In August 1942 Lawrence began a long period as an instructor when he was again posted to 52 OTU at Aston Down, preparing pupils for operational flying in Spitfire squadrons.

[2] In early July 1943 Lawrence went to RAF Duxford for liaison duties with the United States Army Air Forces.

From 27 December 1943 to 3 May 1944, Lawrence was an instructor at 14 APC at Ayr, where squadrons flew in for two weeks intensive gunnery training.

In June 1944 Lawrence was posted to 28 OTU, RAF Wymeswold where he flew Hawker Hurricanes by day and by night to assist the training of Air Gunners flying in Vickers Wellington bomber by making simulated attacks.

[18] Depending on visibility for dive-bombing and the availability of liberated airfields in Belgium for refuelling, each aircraft carried either a 500 or a 1000 lb.

The main danger on these sorties was not enemy fighter defence, but heavy flak along the coast and around the launch sites.

[19] The squadron also flew sorties known as interdictions, attacking railway and supply lines to the V-2 sites, again on an out-and-return basis from Coltishall using drop tanks which were jettisoned on approach to the Dutch coast.

As Lawrence was then still flying, being current on the Club's single seaters, he was nominated by the Association and gratefully accepted the invitation for his first Spitfire flight for 57 years.