S/Ldr K. A. Lawrence was born at Waitara on 25th November, 1919.
After leaving Southland Boys’ High School at Invercargill in December, 1936, he worked in a bank.
He joined the Civil Reserve of Pilots in February, 1938, he was accepted for further pilot training in Britain and sailed from New Zealand in February, 1939. 
 
Having completed his flying training in November, Keith joined the newly-formed 234 Squadron. Equipped with a variety of aircraft, the squadron became operational with Spitfires in early May, 1940. 
On 8th July, Keith shared in the destruction of a Ju 88, the unit’s first victory, attacking a convoy in the Western Approaches.
Two months later, Keith was posted to 603 Squadron and moved to 421 Flight, which subsequently became 91 Squadron in early 1941.
During the Battle of Britain he destroyed two enemy aircraft and damaged four others. 
 
Whilst on a weather reconnaissance on 26th November, 1940, Keith was shot down by Bf 109’s, his Spitfire breaking up and throwing him clear to parachute into the sea. He was picked up by a minesweeper, he was later admitted to hospital with arm and leg injuries. He did not return to 91 Squadron until 10th January, 1942, after a short refresher course on Spitfires. 
 
Very shortly afterwards Keith was posted to Malta, where he joined 185 Squadron on 17th February. It was a difficult time for the island’s defenders as by the end of February, 1942, there were only twenty-one serviceable Hurricanes engaged in limited success against Bf 109’s and Ju 88’s. 
 
The situation was greatly relieved when forty-seven Spitfires flew in from the carrier USS ’Wasp’ on 20th April. After another batch arrived in May, 185 Squadron began to re-equip and by June was wholly Spitfires.
Keith took command of the unit in late May, 1942, leading it through the period of heaviest fighting until he was posted back to the United Kingdom in early August. Whilst serving in Malta he destroyed two enemy aircraft, shared in the destruction of another and damaged others. He was awarded the DFC in September. 
 
Keith now began a long period as an instructor, serving at five different Operational Training Units before he returned to operations in early February, 1945, with 124 Squadron. 
 
The unit had been successfully intercepting German reconnaissance aircraft at 50,000 feet plus, using Spitfire VIIs with pressurised cockpits. As Keith arrived it was re-equipping with Spitfire IX’s to carry out dive-bombing attacks on V-2 sites around the Hague. After each aircraft had dropped its 500lb bomb it flew on to captured airfields in Belgium and Holland, refuelled, re-armed and dropped another 500lb bomb on the way back to its British base. The unit also carried out daylight escorts for bombers raiding into Germany. 
 
Keith Lawrence was released from the RAF in March, 1946, and returned to New Zealand. He settled in Christchurch but later returned to Britain.