Flying Officer James Lyon D.F.C.

Flying Officer James Henry Scott Lyon D.F.C., Royal Australian Air Force. He died on 15th March 1944 during a training flight with 11 Operational Training Unit, aged 21. He was the son of James and Muriel Lyon of Woodside, Australia and the husband of Margaret Lyon ( nee Bruce ) of Brighton, Victoria, Australia. He is buried in Lennel Churchyard, Coldstream. His Headstone is inscribed ” That Peace Which Passeth All Understanding”. The family lived in Coldstream before emigrating to Australia in the late 1930s.( He is not commemorated on the Coldstream War Memorial but as he was a native of the Burgh and is buried here we thought he was worthy of inclusion). He had been piloting a Wellington bomber ( serial LN660, code KJ-O ) when it collided with a Short Stirling bomber of 90 Squadron ( serial EH989, code WP-P ) at 22.35 hours near Aylesbury Buckinghamshire. The Stirling had been returning from an operation at Amiens and this was the crews first mission. All 15 crewmen aboard the two aircraft were killed. F/O Lyon had met Margaret in 1943 when he had been posted to R.A.F. Bardney in Lincolnshire.He married her in November after he had completed a full Operational Tour of 30 missions for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His Avro Lancaster was named ” The Spirit of Russia” and survived the War having flown 109 sorties with 42 different captains. Lyon was then posted to R.A.F. Westcott, an operational training unit where he was working as a Pilot Instructor. In March 2014 a Memorial plaque to all 15 Aircrew was unveiled at Westcott in the presence of Bruce Blanche, nephew to P/O Lyon and Melanie Lyon, granddaughter.