James Frederick Byng Lewis Rank: Leading Aircraftman Status: Killed in Flying Accident 1940-04-14

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"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
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Lewis, James Frederick Byng (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1940-April-14

Birth Date: 1919 (age 21)

Son of David Llewellyn Lewis and Margaret Lewis, of Morden, Manitoba, Canada.

Home: Morden, Manitoba

Service
RAF

Unit
40 Sqn- Squadron

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Marshal
Air Chief Marshal	A/C/M
Air Marshal	A/M
Air Vice Marshal	A/V/M
Air Commodore	A/C
Group Captain	G/C
Wing Commander	W/C
Squadron Leader	S/L
Flight Lieutenant	F/L
Flying Officer	F/O
Pilot Officer	P/O
Warrant Officer 1st Class	WO1
Warrant Officer 2nd Class	WO2
Flight Sergeant	FS
Sergeant	SGT
Corporal	CPL
Senior Aircraftman	SAC
Leading Aircraftman	LAC
Aircraftman 1st Class	AC1
Aircraftman 2nd Class	AC2

Position
Pilot

Service Numbers
644842

40 Squadron (Hostem A Coelo Expellere). BROTHER to David Earl Lewis. LAC. Lewis took a Blenheim aircraft on a solo flight to Norway and did not return. He had a Canadian pilot's license but didn't take it with him when he joined the pre-war RAF. Due to his poor financial situation he was almost forced to join the RAF - but as groundcrew with a promise to remuster to aircrew. The war started and all trades were frozen. He was frustrated in his attempts to remuster after returning from France to the United Kingdom. LAC. Lewis took off in a Blenheim to prove he could fly. He did some low flying over the Officers Mess at lunch time before setting off for Norway. One witness to the event was S/L. George D. Hill of Lucky Lake, Saskatchewan and now of Kelowna, British Columbia.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Leading Aircraftman James Frederick Byng Lewis has no known grave.

Home

Morden, Manitoba

Runnymede Memorial Surrey
Panel 27

Blenheim L9207

Leading Aircraftman Lewis, James Frederick Byng (RAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1940-April-14
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Bristol Blenheim

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3602838)
Bristol 142M Blenheim Mk.V, RAF (Serial No. DJ702).

The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years and in some cases throughout the Second World War. The aircraft was developed as Type 142, a civil airliner, in response to a challenge from Lord Rothermere to produce the fastest commercial aircraft in Europe. The Type 142 first flew in April 1935, and the Air Ministry, impressed by its performance, ordered a modified design as the Type 142M for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a bomber. Deliveries of the newly named Blenheim to RAF squadrons commenced on 10 March 1937. Wikipedia

YouTube Bristol Blenheim Bomber

Wkikpedia Bristol Blenheim

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

RCAF Owned (1) RCAF 400 Squadrons (12) Canadian Crewed (197)

last update: 2021-10-05 20:09:43

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

Lancaster FM213

Andrew Mynarski, VC

Lewis, James Frederick Byng (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1940-April-14

Blenheim L9207

Bristol Blenheim

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

Blenheim Mk. lV L9207

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