Harold was born in 1921 in Prestwich, Manchester to Udel Zelicovitz and Hetty nee Harris and had a younger brother Dennis. The family changed their surname from Zelicovitz to Lewis in 1939. The 1939 Register shows the family living at 105 Prescot Road, Liverpool where Udel ran a drapers shop. Harold enlisted in the RAF in 1941.

Harold was the air gunner on Wellington LP490 which crashed in low clouds during supply drop on mission FLOTSAM to Yugoslavia. All five crew were killed.

Nav, Francis Ronald Flesch, 1602519

W/Op, James Melvin Freeman, 1867160

Pilot,Trevor Aston Gill, 148559

A/B, Robert Joseph Rowe, 164081