Born in May 1922, Lewis attended Warwick School and joined the RAFVR as an Aircrafthand in February 1940. Just after the Battle of Britain he was promoted to Sergeant and flew his first Beaufighter sortie. He later served in North Africa and trained as a pilot in Canada. He was granted a permanent commission in 1947.
From May 1955 Lewis led the RAF party with the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, under the leadership of Vivian Fuchs, who would receive a Knighthood.
Lewis left for the Antarctic in November 1955 and returned to the UK in March 1956. He returned to the Antarctic in November 1956 and finally came home in August 1958. He was responsible for the purchase of aircraft and spares, organising and running air surveys and providing close support for the expedition party in the field. In January 1958 Lewis became the first person to make a Trans-Antarctic flight in a single-engined aircraft. He flew from South Ice to Scott Base on the Ross Sea.
He retired from the RAF in 1972 and died in 1990.
