John Strathearn Lawrey

I whānau mai i te 26 Jul 1920 - I mate atu i te 29 Nov 2004

Nama Hōia: WWII 4211799 AWMM
WWII NZ4211799 AWMM
Ingoa kārangaranga: —
Te Ope o Tū / te peka: Air Force AWMM
Te tūnga whakamutunga: —
Pakanga: World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

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Kōrero taurongo

John Strathearn Lawrey: Biography by Paul Hickford
Biography kindly provided by Paul Hickford, New Zealanders who served with 50 Squadron RAF Biography Project (2026).
Flying Officer John S Lawrey joined 50 (RAF) Squadron[i] approximately two months before the war in Europe ended on 8 May 1945. He flew his first sortie on 5 March 1945, an attack on the synthetic fuel plant at Bohlen, Germany, and the following day was engaged in an attack on the Port of Sassnitz and the nearby military facilities. His aircrew included AG Smith (Flight Engineer and 2nd pilot), JG Morrison (Navigator), FA Wallis (Air Bomber), Harold W Kent of RNZAF (Wireless Operator), Henry J Flowers (Mid-upper Gunner) and Horace J Flowers (Rear Gunner).[ii]
John was to undertake seven more sorties before his final mission on 25 April 1945, Anzac Day in New Zealand; flying alongside 14 other aircraft from his squadron and 93 heavy bombers from other Bomber Command Group 5 squadrons, he helped destroy the Nazi controlled oil refinery and storage facilities at Vallo, a plant to the south of Tonsberg, Norway.[iii]
As with many New Zealand families of the time the Lawrey family were no strangers to war. In the First World War John’s father, Private John Francis Lawrey, No. 64919, served with the 33rd Reinforcements of the Auckland Regiment[iv] and was involved in the liberation of Le Quesnoy, France, on 4 November 1918.[v] Two paternal uncles also served in the war, Private Herbert Millett Lawrey, No. 3/3672, was a member of the 34th Reinforcements of the New Zealand Medical Corps[vi] and Albert Charles Lawrey was in the Reserves.
John’s grandfather and great grandparents had arrived at Lyttelton, Canterbury in 1858 from Cornwall, England and over the following years they farmed properties at Kaiapoi, Springston and West Melton, before becoming country storekeepers in Kirwee, Selwyn District, Canterbury, about 1887.[vii] John (Jnr.) was to follow in his storekeeping family’s footsteps, before and after the Second World War.
John was born and raised in the Selwyn District and received his first formal education at the Kirwee School. He attended high school at Christchurch West travelling to the city each day by train. On leaving school he worked for the Midland Bus Company and then the Farmers Trading Company in Wellington where he worked in the mail order department and became very proficient at wrapping parcels.[viii]
A letter received from the Air Department, Wellington, dated 14 November 1941, and in response to his application for flying training, notified John that he was fit for training and subject to successfully completing an educational course he was to enter the Elementary Flying Training Program.[ix] Eleven days later he received official notification that he was an attested member of Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).
During this interim period John served with the 4th Battalion, Canterbury Regiment at New Brighton followed by a transfer to the Aerodrome Defence Unit (ADU), RNZAF, Ashburton, where on 19 September 1942 he joined the Air Force. Over the next nine months John was to undergo intensive training at RNZAF stations at Omaka, Ohakea, Rotorua and Harewood.[x]
Early in his attachment to the ADU, John was classified as a 1st Class driver and received Authority to Drive Army Vehicles – light and heavy trucks, motor cars and motorcycles.[xi]
While on leave from his RNZAF training program, John married Annie Calder in his hometown of Kirwee on 26 December 1942.[xii] Annie, the daughter of Rev T G Calder, was a schoolteacher and taught at schools in the Selwyn District including Aylesbury, which is approximately six kilometres from Kirwee.
At Harewood John undertook routine flying exercises, initially in the presence of an instructor and later solo after demonstrating his proficiencies to the satisfaction of the base commander. On one specific training exercise he was required to practice spinning, climbing turns, steep turns, forced landings and aerobatics and in the process came to grief. On attempting a forced landing he miscalculated his height, clipped a tree breaking the Tiger Moth’s propellor. Regardless, John accomplished a very creditable forced landing. He was however not to escape without penalty. The damage to his aircraft was assessed at eighteen pounds and John was required to pay five pounds from his pay towards the costs of repair.[xiii]
It was suggested that John was ‘stunting’ and ‘shooting up’ near Kirwee but when approached by air force officials, local residents denied this.[xiv]
A little over a month later, on 20 June 1943, John embarked on the SS Matsonia for San Francisco. His ultimate destination was Canada where he graduated from RCAF, No. 5 Service Training School, Brantford, Ontario and Course 1, Class 85 on 29 October 1943 with the rank of sergeant.[xv]
Meanwhile back in New Zealand on 25 October 1943, John’s sister, Nancy Frances Lawrey,[xvi] had married George ‘Gordon’ Calder who was to serve with the 2nd NZEF in Italy.[xvii]
From Canada John proceeded to England where he arrived on 2 December 1943 to commence further training, initially at No. 18 Advanced Flying Unit followed by a posting to the No. 85 Officer Training Unit where it was noted, “Average pilot and captain. Has plenty of initiative and should become an excellent captain in time. Recommend for heavies and commission.”
Throughout his training John was keeping his flying hours up in Oxford, Stirling and Lancaster aircraft.
On 31 October 1944, and pending posting to an operational squadron, John was attached to No. 51 and 75 Bases where selection and training of his aircrew was completed. This was followed by his attendance at the No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School, Wigsley, with his navigator and air bomber. [xviii]
Finally, on 25 February 1945, John was posted to 50 (RAF) Squadron, stationed at Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire.[xix] His entry into the squadron was understandably delayed as the Allies were gaining supremacy in the air and there were fewer aircrew casualties than in previous years.
Just five days prior to joining the squadron John was promoted to Pilot Officer and the day after joining the squadron he was promoted to Acting Flying Officer.[xx]
Prior to commencing active operational duties in command of his own aircraft, John undertook two familiarisation flights (known as ‘digging’), one with another New Zealander, Flying Officer Hugh Skilling, a squadron member since October 1944.[xxi]
When the war in Europe ended John had flown a total of 10 sorties including nine with Howard Kent of Lower Hutt, his air bomber and also a member of the RNZAF. Interestingly, post-war, John was appointed to the rank Flying Officer on 20 June 1945.[xxii]
Ultimately, his war ended quickly and anticlimactically. Being unable to immediately return to New Zealand John and his colleagues were engaged in ferrying prisoners of war back to England. Otherwise, they took ground crew, WAAFs and Air Force administration staff on sightseeing trips over France and Germany.[xxiii]
On returning to New Zealand John was transferred to RNZAF Reserve of Officers but it was anticipated that his services were no longer required. His total period of service was three years 157 days including two years and 183 days overseas.[xxiv]
After the war John and Annie settled in Kirwee where they owned and operated what became known as the IGA (Independent Grocers’ Alliance) store.[xxv] Historic images of the original family store are to be found in the Selwyn Libraries collection.
Over the years the family had proved strongly supportive of their local community, an example that was initially set by grandfather, John Nicholas Lawrey, who served on the school board for 15 years and helped with funding of the Kirwee school’s swimming pool.[xxvi]
John (Jnr.) died in the township on 29 November 2004 and is buried in the local cemetery. Annie survived her husband by two years. She passed away on 5 December 2006 and is also buried in the Kirwee cemetery.[xxvii]
John’s brother-in-law, Gordon Calder, appears on the Kirwee Roll of Honour 1939-1945 but there is no mention of John. Both however appear on the online Cenotaph site of the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Sources cited
[i] Service personnel file of NZ4211799, John Lawrey, NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals, Trentham Camp (Wellington), (NZDF PAM).
[ii] 1939-45, Operations Record Books of 50 (RAF) Squadron (ORBs).
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] J F Lawrey, WW1, 64919, Army, Archives NZ, R10918234.
[v] Kiwi Index, NZSG.
[vi] HM Lawrey, WW1, 3/3672, NZMC, Archives NZ, R10918233.
[vii] Obituary, John N Lawrey, Star (Christchurch), 19 June 1931, p.2.
[viii] Lawrey family through Selwyn Libraries (Sarah), Rolleston, E-mail 5 January 2025: www.selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz (Lawrey family).
[ix] NZDF PAM.
[x] Ibid.
[xi] Authority to Drive Army Vehicles, No. 74167.
[xii] Marriages, Lawrey-Calder, Otago Daily Times, 18 January 1943, p.1.
[xiii] Letter from Wing Commander of RNZAF Station, Harewood to Air Dept, Wellington, dated 13 May 1943.
[xiv] Ibid.
[xv] John S Lawrey, online Cenotaph site, AWMM.
[xvi] Marriages, Press (newspaper), 12 November 1943, p.1.
[xvii] Ashburton Guardian, 1 September 1944, p.2.
[xviii] NZDF PAM.
[xix] Ibid.
[xx] Ibid.
[xxi] ORBs.
[xxii] NZDF PAM.
[xxiii] Lawrey family, Selwyn District, Canterbury, 2026.
[xxiv] NZDF PAM.
[xxv] Ibid.
[xxvi] Obituary, Star (Christchurch), 19 June 1931, p.2.
[xxvii] Australia & NZ Find a Grave Index, 1800s – current. AWMM

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John Strathearn Lawrey