Lewis, Donald Swain

Lewis (a lieutenant colonel), was the second highest-ranked officer in the RFC to be killed in action in the First World War. On 14 September 1914 Maj. G. Salmond, CO of No.3 Sqn and Lewis carried out a successful experiment with an artillery battery using a radio to relay the fall of shells. Lewis also created the "grid square" map system which revolutionized British artillery aiming with a system based on squares identified by letters and numbers. On 15 September the Third Corps assigned its RFC squadrons to support the divisional batteries. The radio-equipped planes successfully supported the artillery in taking out German positions during the Battle of the Aisne. On the 1916-04-10, while flying a Moräne Saulnier Parasol in Belgium with Capt. Gale as observer, they were KIA by a direct hit from the enemy's anti-aircraft guns.