LEWIS Alan Vivian

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral.

Lieut., R.A.F.
Born March 5th, 1898. Killed August 26th, 1918.
Alan Lewis was the only son of W. J. Lewis, Esq., of Cheddleton, Droitwich. He entered the Lower School as a Day boy in January, 1910, and left from the Upper Sixth to enter the R.N.A.S. in July, 1916. Throughout his School career he was remarkable for steady industry and quiet force of character: during his last year in the Upper Sixth he was an effective School Monitor and Corporal in the O.T.C. While at School he taught regularly in the Sunday School at St. Peter’s, Droitwich and managed a Company, C.L.B., and was keenly interested in Boy Scouts and ready to help in all Church work. On leaving School he obtained a commission in the R.N.A.S., quickly qualified as a Pilot, and was attached to the Grand Fleet for scouting work. While thus engaged he narrowly escaped drowning in the North Sea. He was rescued but was severely shaken, and after some weeks in hospital returned to duty. In August last he was killed when conducting experimental flying at a flying school in Kent. He was laid to rest at St. Peter’s, Droitwich, on Saturday, April 3rd, where the School was represented by the Headmaster, who assisted in the service, and Lieutenants Beach-Hicks and Whitaker with a squad of the O.T.C. A detachment from Norton Barracks provided the firing party. Some fellow officers of the R.A.F acted as pall-bearers, and the Droitwich and District Boy Scouts also attended. A large congregation filled the church, which testified to the universal respect which he had won in his short life of high minded zeal and public spirit.
W. H. C.

Source for additional information: The Vigornian, November 1918, No.93, Vol. IX.

A photograph of Lieutenant A.V. Lewis of Droitwich can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 28th September 1918, available at Worcestershire Archives.