Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Second World War Pacific operations D.F.C. group of eight awarded to Squadron Leader D. R. Lawrence, Royal Australian Air Force, a long served pilot in Sunderlands and Catalinas, who undertook a number of perilous “one-off” missions and who amassed nearly 1000 operational hours 1941-44

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals; Australian Service Medal 1939-45, these last three officially inscribed ‘402164 D. R. Lawrence’; U.S.A. Distinguished Flying Cross, the reverse engraved, ‘402164 Sqn. Ldr. D. R. Lawrence, R.A.A.F.’, with its case of issue, mounted court-style as worn, generally good very fine (8) £1800-2200

D.F.C. London Gazette 9 March 1945. The original recommendation states:

‘Flight Lieutenant Lawrence has flown a total of 984 operational hours, 101 hours in Sunderlands between September 1941 and March 1942, and 883 hours in Catalinas with 11 and 20 Squadrons between June 1943 and April 1944.

Whilst flying Catalina aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Lawrence has carried out 13 sea minings, 12 reconnaissances, eight supply dropping flights, four bombing raids, two air-sea rescues, one torpedo attack and one special mission (landing and spending the night in enemy territory), a total of 41 operational sorties. Of special note were:

(1) A supply drop in the Wissel Lakes area, successfully completed on his first attempt, three other unsuccessful attempts having been made by other pilots.
(2) A torpedo attack at Panto on 11 October 1943.
(3) An air-sea rescue at an island in the Arafura Sea, rescuing five members of a crashed B-24.
(4) A special, most secret, mission under orders from R.A.A.F. Command, on 8 February 1944.

In all operations this Captain of Aircraft has displayed a spirit of fearless aggression and has never hesitated to carry out low-level strafing attacks on enemy targets ranging from New Britain to the Celebes and north of the Equator. He was Flight Commander of No. 11 Squadron from 15 September 1943 to 24 April 1944, and both in this capacity and as captain of a Catalina aircraft Flight Lieutenant Lawrence has shown the utmost courage and devotion to duty.’

American D.F.C. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 7 December 1944. The citation states:

‘For heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight during operations conducted in collaboration with the United States Navy on 14 and 16 January 1944.

Flying approximately 1,800 miles, much of the distance in daylight, from a seaplane base in Australia, over waters patrolled and protected by enemy aircraft, Squadron Leader Lawrence skilfully handled his slow, highly vulnerable plane, making his accurate runs on the target at perilously low altitude in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire from hostile shore installations and anchored ships.

By his superb airmanship and indomitable courage in carrying out these extremely hazardous missions, Squadron Leader Lawrence contributed in a large measure to the losses inflicted upon enemy shipping and to the uniform success of vital operations in this area.’

Denis Russell Lawrence, who was born in Sydney, N.S.W. in November 1914, enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in June 1940, qualified as a pilot and first flew operationally in Sunderlands from September 1941 to March 1942. But it was for his subsequent work in Catalinas of R.A.A.F. 11 and 20 Squadrons that he was awarded his D.F.C., these appointments embracing non-stop operational service in the South and South-West Pacific from June 1943 to April 1944 - and the completion of nearly 1000 operational hours. His exploits are frequently mentioned in David Vincent’s history of R.A.A.F. operations, Catalina Chronicle, from which the following extracts have been taken by way of illustrating the diverse and perilous nature of his operational career:

‘On the morning of 4 August [1943] while returning from a Milk Run and attack on Gasmata, Lawrence landed alongside Ruby Reef out from Cairns where a Vultee Vengeance, A27-235, had made a forced landing. The dive-bomber’s crew, Flying Officer Allister Bond and Denis Holmes, were successfully picked up in one of the Catalina’s rubber dinghies.’

‘On 5 September [1943] A24-61 (Lawrence) dropped supplies to a Dutch observation post in the Wissel Lakes area, 400 miles north west of Merauke. The ground party had waited almost two months for this delivery because the previous attempts, flying a direct route from Merauke, had been unsuccessful. Lawrence later reported: “To reach this post we had to pass a sheer wall of rock rising 10,000 feet and then fly through a pass along which the hills rose to 6,000 feet. A high mountain to the west of the lakes was shown on the map as being 13,000 feet but the mountain was still above us when we were flying at 16,000 feet. We flew among the hills and eventually located the dropping point.” ’


‘Attacks on Ambon by aircraft from the three squadrons continued until November [1943], heavy anti-aircraft fire being experienced on numerous occasions. On 13 September Lawrence’s aircraft was holed by a heavy anti-aircraft shell which tore through the hull, chopped up the compass brackets, frayed a control wire and narrowly missed a passenger, Flight Lieutenant Tom Graham, before exiting through the top of the fuselage without exploding.’

‘Three days later three Catalinas flew to Darwin for minelaying operations against Batu Kilat and Pomelaa Harbours and approaches. Two flights were carried out. No opposition was experienced on the first (26 September [1943]) and four merchant vessels were sighted en route to the target. After the second sortie two nights later, Lawrence, now with No. 11 Squadron, noted: “Anti-aircraft fire from shore and 8,000 ton merchant vessel in anchorage. Aircraft (A24-35) holed (two machine-gun hits in navigator’s compartment, three in wing). Strafed shore installations, barges and ship, 11 runs necessary before release of mines due to malfunction - finally successful. Strafed wharf area at Kolaka on departure.” ’

‘Manokwari was mined during early October as was also Waingapoe on 12 October. On the latter operation only two Catalinas participated; A24-35 (Lawrence) and A24-62 (Bolitho). Each aircraft carried one mine and one torpedo. Releasing their mines over Waingapoe, they flew on to Timor because of the lack of suitable targets in the first harbour. Koepang was searched for potential targets and although none was found, the two crews later found out that the harbour was reportedly closed for a week in the belief that mines had been dropped. Along the northern coast of Timor Lawrence fired his torpedo against a small vessel loaded with deck cargo but it is believed that the torpedo ran on to a reef and failed to explode. However the ship was strafed and set on fire before the two aircraft returned to Darwin.’

‘No. 11 Squadron, apart from escort duties, struck at Sorong, Boela and Kaimana. Mines were also dropped at Kendari, Ceram, Wingapoe, Soerabaya and Kavieng during the month by 11 and 20 Squadrons, A24-35 (Lawrence) being followed for about five minutes and fired at by an unidentified aircraft during one of these operations on 22 November [1943].’

‘Meanwhile on 19 January [1944], Lawrence in A24-32 rescued four crew members of a U.S.A.A.F. B-24 which had crash landed in enemy territory near Seroea Island after being attacked by Japanese fighters. Initially covered by Beaufighters, the rescue was effected despite a heavy swell and strong wind. Consequently, in February, Lawrence again flew to the Island with a party from the Far East Liaison Office (a cover name for Section D of the Allied Intelligence Bureau) who buried a number of emergency kits and rounded up some natives who were wanted for questioning.’

‘On the night of 16 April [1944] five of the Catalinas (six were to be used but one developed engine trouble) laid ten mines in the entrance to the atoll. Squadron Leader Lawrence’s aircraft, A24-49, was intercepted by an unidentified single engined floatplane which made 11 passes, but by taking evasive action a long burst of enemy tracer fire had no effect.’

Lawrence, who was discharged in the rank of Squadron Leader in November 1946, received his D.F.C. from the Governor-General at an investiture held at Admiralty House, Sydney in January 1949.