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Spitfire Biography

FLGOFF Donald Edwin Lewis 400148

Squadron/s452 SQN
Rank On Discharge/Death Flying Officer (FLGOFF)
Date of Birth01 Feb 1922
Date of Enlistment23 Jun 1940
Date of Death21 Jan 1942
Contributing Author/sPaul Carter, Phil Listemann
Updated by Vince Conant July 2013
The Spitfire Association

Don was born on the 1 February, 1922 in Hobart, Tasmania, and enlisted on the 23 June, 1940 in Melbourne Victoria.

22.01.42 : AB992 : P/O Donald Edwin Lewis (400148)
He took off at 13.55 to lead three other Spitfires for an escort of mine-sweepers, and to join another section led by F/L Thorold-Smith. During the course of this operation, P/O Lewis called up on the RT saying 'I am going into sea', giving his position in the same time. Sgt Harper noticed oil leak on his windscreen. A search was carried out on the course and P/O Lewis was soon found lying on his back in the water his parachute alongside. It was believed that he was unconscious when sighted; F/L Thorold-Smith ordered his section to stand by while he climbed to 3,000 feet to give fixes, but his section mistook his instructions and followed him up. After transmitting long and slow messages, they came down to 100 feet again but could find no trace of P/O Lewis. After orbiting for 40 minutes, the section returned. Australian from Tasmania, he was serving the Squadron since May 1941.

Roll of Honour - Donald Edwin Lewis
Service number: 400148
Rank: Flying Officer
Unit: 452 Squadron
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Conflict: 1939-1945
Date of death: 21 January 1942
Place of death: English Channel
Cause of death: Accidental
Cemetery or memorial details: Runnymede Memorial, United Kingdom
Source: AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force
R.I.P.

Paul Carter, Phil Listemann
Updated by Vince Conant July 2013
The Spitfire Association



Group portrait of pilots of No. 452 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, the first fighter squadron of which the flying personnel (with the exception of two flight commanders) are entirely Australian. It became operational in May 1941. Identified left to right: 287473 Sergeant (Sgt) Paul St John Makin; 400141 Flying Officer (FO) Keith Kipling Cox (accidentally killed in the United Kingdom, 23 January 1944); possibly Archie Stuart; Flight Lieutenant (F/LT) Brendan Eamonn Fergus "Paddy" Finucane RAF, DSO, DFC & two Bars (killed during operations over Etaples, France, on 15 July 1942, aged 21 years); 407078 Ian Arthur Lace Milne ; 402120 Sgt James Neate Hanigan (killed on active service at Carlisle, England, on 7 September 1941, aged 24 years); 402129 Frederick Revis McCann; 402144 Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Raymond Edward Thorold-Smith (killed during operations over the Timor Sea on 15 March 1943, aged 24 years); 257414 Sqn Ldr Robert Wilton Bungey DFC (killed in a ground accident in South Australia on 10 June 1943, aged 28 years); 400166 Flying Officer (FO) William Douglas Willis (killed during operations near Rouen, France, on 18 September 1941, aged 24 years); possibly 402007 Flt Lt Alex Roberts; 400148 FO Donald Edwin Lewis (accidentally killed over the English Channel on 21 January 1942, aged 19 years); possibly Flt Lt Dougas; 404086 Sgt Andrew Gordon Costello (killed during operations over the United Kingdom on 5 July 1941, aged 23 years); 400213 Sqn Ldr Keith William "Bluey" Truscott DFC & bar (killed in an accident near Exmouth Gulf, WA, on 28 March 1943); 402115 Sgt Richard George Gazzard (killed during operations over Belgium on 19 August 1941, aged 21 years). Absent: 404087 Pilot Officer Raife James Cowan, 408022 Justin O'Byrne (later POW); 402232 PO William Davies Eccleton (killed in action in France on 19 August 1941, aged 25 years); PO R T Holt.

Learn more about the squadron/s in which Donald served.

452 SQN

No. 452 Squadron RAAF was the first Australian squadron formed under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Britain during the Second World War. Its first person...

(Read more about 452 SQN)
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