Jock Lewes
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant John Steel Lewes, known as Jock (21 December 1913 – 31 December 1941) was born in Calcutta but grew up in Australia and served as a British
officer of the Welsh Guards
in World War II
. He is the eponym of the Lewes bomb
and was a founder member and principal training officer of the Special Air Service
.
Lewes was first commissioned as a second lieutenant
, University Candidate, General List in 1935 whilst a student at Christ Church College, Oxford. He was President of the Oxford University Boat Club
1936–37, but gave up his place in the 1937 Blue boat which ended up winning the 1937 University Boat Race, ending a 15 year Cambridge winning streak. After graduation he transferred to a Territorial Army unit, 1st Battalion, the Tower Hamlets Rifles, Rifle Brigade before joining the Welsh Guards.
In 1941 Lieutenant David Stirling
gathered a small unit of volunteers, among whom was Lewes. This unit was named L Detachment of the Special Air Service Brigade. The main objective of this group was to conduct raids against the lines of communication of Axis forces in the Western Desert
.
David Stirling
said of Lewes: "Jock could far more genuinely claim to be founder of the SAS than I."
Jock Lewes was killed in action in December 1941. He was returning from a raid on German
airfields when the Long Range Desert Group
truck he was travelling in was attacked by a lone Messerschmitt 110 fighter. Lewes was fatally wounded in the thigh by a 20mm round from the fighter and bled to death in about four minutes. He was buried on the site where the attack happened but the whereabouts of his grave are now unknown. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.
Lewes was engaged to marry Mirren Barford, an Oxford undergraduate, at the time of his death.
Lewes created the Lewes bomb
which was a light combined incendiary and explosive charge. The Lewes bomb was used throughout World War II.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
officer of the Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He is the eponym of the Lewes bomb
Lewes bomb
The Lewes bomb was a blast-incendiary field expedient explosive device, manufactured by mixing diesel oil and Nobel 808 plastic explosive. It was created by Lieutenant Jock Lewes, one of the original members of L Detachment SAS in 1941...
and was a founder member and principal training officer of the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
.
Lewes was first commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
, University Candidate, General List in 1935 whilst a student at Christ Church College, Oxford. He was President of the Oxford University Boat Club
Oxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
1936–37, but gave up his place in the 1937 Blue boat which ended up winning the 1937 University Boat Race, ending a 15 year Cambridge winning streak. After graduation he transferred to a Territorial Army unit, 1st Battalion, the Tower Hamlets Rifles, Rifle Brigade before joining the Welsh Guards.
In 1941 Lieutenant David Stirling
David Stirling
Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, DSO, DFC, OBE was a Scottish laird, mountaineer, World War II British Army officer, and the founder of the Special Air Service.-Life before the war:...
gathered a small unit of volunteers, among whom was Lewes. This unit was named L Detachment of the Special Air Service Brigade. The main objective of this group was to conduct raids against the lines of communication of Axis forces in the Western Desert
Libyan Desert
The Libyan Desert covers an area of approximately 1,100,000 km2, it extends approximately 1100 km from east to west, and 1,000 km from north to south, in about the shape of a rectangle...
.
David Stirling
David Stirling
Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, DSO, DFC, OBE was a Scottish laird, mountaineer, World War II British Army officer, and the founder of the Special Air Service.-Life before the war:...
said of Lewes: "Jock could far more genuinely claim to be founder of the SAS than I."
Jock Lewes was killed in action in December 1941. He was returning from a raid on German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
airfields when the Long Range Desert Group
Long Range Desert Group
The Long Range Desert Group was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The commander of the German Afrika Corps, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, admitted that the LRDG "caused us more damage than any other British unit of equal strength".Originally called...
truck he was travelling in was attacked by a lone Messerschmitt 110 fighter. Lewes was fatally wounded in the thigh by a 20mm round from the fighter and bled to death in about four minutes. He was buried on the site where the attack happened but the whereabouts of his grave are now unknown. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.
Lewes was engaged to marry Mirren Barford, an Oxford undergraduate, at the time of his death.
Lewes created the Lewes bomb
Lewes bomb
The Lewes bomb was a blast-incendiary field expedient explosive device, manufactured by mixing diesel oil and Nobel 808 plastic explosive. It was created by Lieutenant Jock Lewes, one of the original members of L Detachment SAS in 1941...
which was a light combined incendiary and explosive charge. The Lewes bomb was used throughout World War II.