# Fame.am profile — machine-readable export
# Canonical URL: https://fame.am/person/john-lerew
# Generated: 2026-08-13T05:28:18.912Z

schema: https://schema.org/Person
url: "https://fame.am/person/john-lerew"
name: "John Lerew"
slug: "john-lerew"
description: "John Margrave Lerew, DFC was an officer and pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II, and later a senior manager in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). As commander of No. 24 Squadron, based in New Britain, he became famous in the annals of Air Force history for his irreverent response to orders by headquarters in Australia during the Battle of Rabaul in January 1942. After his squadron was directed to assist in repelling the invading Japanese fleet with its one serviceable bomber, and to keep its damaged airfield open, Lerew signalled headquarters with the ancient Latin phrase supposedly used by gladiators honouring their Emperor: \"Morituri vos salutamus\". He also defied an order to abandon his staff, and organised their escape from Rabaul."
tagline: "Senior Royal Australian Air Force officer"
image: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/044730Lerew.jpg?width=1200"
gender: "male"
country:
  name: "Australia"
  isoCode: "AU"
birthDate: "1912-08-20"
deathDate: "1996-02-24"
livingStatus: "DECEASED"
scores:
  popularity:           36.9
  momentum:             0
  historical:           4.804608
  currentAttention:     0
  sourceConfidence:     30
  profileCompleteness:  50
  trendDirection:       "FALLING"
ranks:
  global:   null
  country:  null
  category: null
sources:
  - url: "https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%86_%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%81"
    title: "جون ليروف"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%86_%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%88"
    title: "جون ليريو"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lerew"
    title: "John Lerew"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lerew"
    title: "John Lerew"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lerew"
    title: "John Lerew"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6244617"
    title: "Wikidata"
    type:  "WIKIDATA"

# bio (long form, separated for readability)
bio: |
  Imported from discovery source: wikidata-dump