Ernest Russell Lyon

Early life

The son of Ernest H. Lyon and Elizabeth W. Pealling, Ernest Russell Lyon was born in Colinton, Edinburgh, Scotland on 19 December 1922. He had an older step brother, Stanley, and a younger brother James (Jimmy). Russell's mother Elizabeth was the second wife of E.H. Lyon, whose first wife Helen died in 1919 from Bright's Disease. His middle name Russell derived, in the Scottish naming tradition, from the maiden name of his maternal grandmother, Jane Russell, whose family originally came from Dumfries-shire, Scotland. His father was born in Kincardine-shire Scotland, with earlier antecedents coming from the Buchan area of NE Aberdeenshire, and Banffshire, Scotland in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Russell's early school years were spent firstly at Gillespies and then at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh. He entered Heriot's on 23 September 1930. In July 1932, he left George Heriot's School and started his next phase of education on 22 September 1932 at George Watson's School, also in Edinburgh. The George Watson's school record shows that " He got the bronze medal for swimming in fourth year and by the time he was in sixth year he was in the rugby First XV where he gained his colours. He did English, French, physics and chemistry in sixth year, was a patrol leader in the Scouts and was also in the Army Training Corps and played tennis and cricket. He was also a prefect".

On 15 October 1935, when Russell was approaching his 13th birthday, his mother Elizabeth died following a sudden and severe stroke.

As he was growing up Russell often holidayed with his family in and around Braemar and Deeside, Aberdeenshire, where one of his uncles, George Melvin Rennie (1874–1953), a landscape artist, had a summer studio.

Military Service

Soon after his 18th birthday Russell Lyon volunteered to join the RAF, and he enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 1 March 1941.

The full Service Record is:

1 March 1941 enlistment Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve held in reserve then: 7 July 1941 L.A.C.R.C. July to Sept. 1941 Basic Training October 1941 to May 1942 Canada and the USA Training 20 May 1942 Awarded pilot’s wings, promoted to Sergeant May 1942-March 1943 Pilot Instructor USA and Canada 4 March 1943 promoted to Flying Officer June to October 1943 Pilot Operational training 20 October 1943 Posted to 234 Squadron 26 September 1943 RAF Hutton Cranswick, 12 Group December 1943 RAF Church Fenton 29 January 1944 RAF Coltishall 19 March 1944 RAF Bolt Head 10 Group 30 April 1944 RAF Deanland 85 Group 19 June 1944 RAF Predannack 10 Group 27 July 1944 Missing in Action

Around March 1943 Russell volunteered to return to the UK and to be posted to an operational squadron. When Russell joined 234 Squadron he acquired the nickname "Ben" Lyon. (after the Hollywood actor and agent Ben Lyon).

The 234 Squadron Mission of 27 July 1944

In the days leading up to 27 July 234 Squadron pilots were involved in a number of missions.

On the afternoon of 22 July 1944 four aircraft went on a reconnaissance mission of the Nostang area east of Lorient, and also attacked locomotives at Hennebont. After the attack one Spitfire, piloted by F/O John Coward, was reported as missing.

F/O Coward’s Spitfire AD470 crashed near Auray. His body was recovered by the Germans, was identified and was buried at Guidel, in Row 6 Grave 32. The Guidel Communal Cemetery Record lists the burial of this identified casualty on 24 July 1944.

A later mission on the same day eight RAF 234 Squadron Spitfires escorted 3 Mosquitoes of RAF 151 Squadron on a bombing mission of a German Naval HQ at Nostang, east of Lorient the Spitfires attacking afterwards with cannon and machine gun. On that mission F/Lt. Walton (BM200) and F/0 Lyon (BL563) flew as Red 1 and Red 2.

On 23 July F/O Lyon flew with three others on a shipping reconnaissance mission between Morlaix and the Île de Sein. On 24 July he flew on with seven others on a bombing mission on rail infrastructure. Unusually the Spitfires had been modified to carry 500 lb bombs for these missions. Later the same day he flew on a shipping patrol mission West of Ushant.

A similar mission was flown by F/O Lyon with seven Spitfires on the afternoon of 25 July attacking locomotives and vehicle movements in Landivisiau and in the area North of Quimper, Finistère.

The Squadron Record book also notes that the weather over the Channel during this week was not good.

On the evening of 27 July 1944 eight Spitfires left RAF Predannack at 19.00 hrs. on a "Rhubarb 323" mission over southern Brittany. Earlier that day, 51 Spitfires from 234 and other RAF Squadrons carried out offensive patrols on the Brest Peninsula. The eight Spitfires from 234 Squadron were:

After crossing the French coast at Plouescat at 6000 ft. altitude under clouds the Spitfires set direction for an attack on the installations at the Luftwaffe base at Kerlin Bastard (now known as Lann-Bihoué or Base d'aéronautique navale de Lann-Bihoué now part of the Lorient South Brittany Airport near Lorient). The mission was also to observe to see what aircraft the Luftwaffe might have at this airbase. A strafing attack was carried out by Blue Section with damage being caused to the watchtower, barracks and hangars. Following this Red Section proceeded a little further down the coast towards Lorient. It was here that they were bracketed by accurate and heavy flak which firstly hit Spitfire AR343 (Red 3)at 6000 ft.by flak from the Quatre-Chemins Flak Battery located south of Ploemeur. A little later Spitfire BM200 (Red 1) was also hit by the Flak Battery at Kerlec, when flying at low level.

Red 3 was severely damaged and was seen to dive away out of control and crash in flames.

The crash of Spitfire AR343 was witnessed by the local French farmer on whose land the crash occurred, who was the first on the scene, seeing the mangled body of the pilot lying on the ground and some 6 metres away from the remains of the fuselage and cockpit. The Germans were also quickly on the scene and ordered the farmer away. Others in the vicinity also witnessed the plane falling from the sky and hitting the ground.

Red 1 managed to retain control long enough and to climb to a height where Walton was able to parachute out. He landed safely at Kerdanet, near Quimperle and Spitfire BM200 crashed to the ground in a fireball at Rédéné. Whilst at liberty for a short while, and being helped by the local resistance, Walton was captured by the Germans at around 21.00hrs. He was a Prisoner of War for the remainder of World War II. The crash site location of Spitfire BM200 was found and excavated in 2004, by local French enthusiasts.

The recovered and broken Spitfire BM200 Rolls-Royce Merlin engine was donated to the Salle des Expositions at the Base Aéronavale de Lann Bihoué where it has been cleaned by members of the French air and naval veterans association and has been put on display in the Salle des Expositions.

The six surviving Spitfires returned to RAF Predannack where they landed at 20.50hrs on 27 July 1944.

On Saturday 29 July 1944 the remains of an "Inconnu" English Airman were buried by the German Military Forces in Grave No. 33 in Row 6 at Guidel Cemetery, just a few kilometers north west of the crash site of Spitfire AR343. A witness statement made by the farmer on whose land the Spitfire had crashed records (1) that one of the French-speaking Germans clearing the crash site told him that the body of the pilot had been taken to Guidel to be buried and (2) that on a visit to Guidel two days after the crash on his land the farmer spoke with the gravedigger of Guidel Cemetery who said that a grave was ready and he was going to bury a pilot.

The Lorient Pocket 7 August 1944 – 10 May 1945

Shortly after the fatal shooting down of Sptifire AR343 at around 19.55 hrs. on 27 July 1944 the area around the crash site, and the area of possible burial of the casualty at Guidel, were contained in what was known as the Lorient Pocket, Festung Lorient, or Poche de Lorient.

After D-Day and the breakout from the invasion beaches into Normandy the major thrust of the advancing Allied Forces was towards Paris. Many retreating German forces, estimated at 100,000 German soldiers, headed for the well-defended fortresses of Brest, Lorient and St. Nazaire on the Western and Atlantic Coast of France where the U-Boat bases had been heavily fortified. At Lorient there was the Keroman U-Boat Base. Allied responsibility for clearing the Axis Forces from Brittany was given to General Patton and the U.S. 3rd Army, who became operational on 1 August 1944 and brought the VIII Corps and the 6th Armoured Division together to clear the Brittany peninsula and especially the German forces in Brest. Meanwhile, the 4th Armoured Division initially followed, but they then headed for Rennes and Lorient. Once Brest had fallen the senior German Commander, General Der Artillerie, Wilhelm Fahrmbacker took command of all the forces that were centred around Lorient. In total there were some 25,000 Axis Forces and under their commanders, including Konter Admiral Kaehler were determined to hold out, backed by upwards of 500 artillery pieces.

By 7 August these Axis Forces were surrounded on three sides, and on their fourth side was the sea. With many diehards amongst them they set about denying the Allies the use of the port of Lorient, and other forts making up the Atlantic Wall. Some 300 artillery pieces defended attack from the direction of the sea.

The Lorient Pocket was thus formed, with the Allied Forces, together with Free French Forces and the French Resistance Forces holding the siege for the remainder of World War II. The area was some 850 sq. miles of territory.

Brest was liberated on 19 September 1944, but at a cost of 10,000 American soldiers.

Capturing the ports of Lorient and St. Nazaire intact ceased to be of strategic importance to the Allies and the American Forces abandoned any further plans of attacking the two fortresses on 7 September 1944, and so the sieges continued until the end of World War II.

These forces were cut off from the Reich but occasionally ships or U-Boats reached the Port to replenish supplies. Food was the major problem to those Axis Forces within the Lorient Pocket.

The Black Panther Division, part of the US 12th Army Group took over from the 94th Infantry Division on 1 January 1945. With a score to settle months of skirmishing then followed.

Surrender of the Lorient Pocket eventually came on 8 May 1945 when General Fahrmbacher surrendered to General Kramer, in command of the 12th Army Coastal Sector and the US 66th Infantry Division, although there was a two-day delay until the formal surrender actually took place. Much time was available to the Axis forces to destroy their records, so little German military records from the area survive today.

Throughout this period, from 7 August 1944 until 10 May 1945, the crash site of Spitfire AR343 near Ploemeur, and the cemetery at Guidel, were not accessible to the Allied Forces. Nor were any further Allied casualties buried in the cemetery at Guidel. The casualty buried there on Saturday 29 July 1944 was the last World War II Allied RAF casualty to be buried at Guidel.

The above section is included to indicate the context of the period in the area and in the days immediately before and after the shooting down of Spitfire AR343 on 27 July 1944, and to understand the disruption that would be taking place to both the military occupying forces, and to the civilian population.

Immediate Post-War Period

Following the German surrender in May 1945 both the US and the Allied Forces were soon in the area and as time progressed searches occurred for missing personnel.

For the RAF searches for missing personnel were undertaken by the MREU Unit 7, responsible for searches in the whole of France, and which became operational from August 1945 onwards.

The US search authorities found their way into the Lorient area and in September 1945 the US 605th Quartermaster Corps Registration Company carried out examination of the Guidel Cemetery, exhuming and transferring US casualties some to the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial at St. James, near Mont Saint Michel, some to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer near the Omaha Beach and one to the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial at Neupré in Belgium.

The following year, in July 1946, the RAF MREU Unit 7 carried out examination of Grave No. 33, Row 6 at Guidel, where the burial of the "inconnu" English Airman had taken place on 29 July 1944, but were unable to positively identify this casualty.

In the early 1950s the Commonwealth War Graves Commission installed headstones, (replacing the original simple wooden crosses installed over each war grave) in the Military Section of the Guidel Cemetery. Over the grave where the burial took place on 29 July 1944 the inscription reads:

Crash Site Discovery 2001

In 2001 some metal 'pipes' were seen in woodland near Kercavès, to the south of Ploemeur, poking out from the ground. Local history enthusiasts were alerted and excavation took place which showed that the 'pipes' were the two cannon guns which were fitted to Spitfires. Further metallic objects, including the propeller hub, were excavated and removed from the site. These were identified as coming from a Spitfire MKVb. Further research was undertaken involving French and English researchers and the site was identified as the crash site of Spitfire AR343 piloted by F/O Ernest Russell Lyon.

The French researchers made contact with the 234 Squadron Association and in 2003 were visited by Group Captain N. Walpole OBE BA RAF, then writing Dragon Rampant, the Story of 234 Fighter Squadron, where the fatal shooting down of F/O Lyon is recounted.

German records were also found in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington DC, and in the Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv at Freiburg, which variously reported and confirmed the shooting down of Spitfires in the area at or around 19.54 hrs on 27 July 1944.

Enquiries to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva made in 2009/2010 have revealed no 'totenlist' record of the casualty of 27 July 1944 being made or informed via this route by the German Reich via the Red Cross to the United Kingdom, but given the conditions in the area in immediate period following 27 July 1944 and the disruptions caused by the Allied advances into the area the absence of such a neutral and humanitarian record is not unusual.

Official recognition of the crash site of Spitfire AR343 by the RAF Air Historical Branch was eventually given on 3 March 2009.

Living Kin found

The French researchers made enquiries in an attempt to find living kin of the pilot, but were unsuccessful until 2006/07 when the powers of the internet helped. A nephew of the pilot, undertaking his own family history research, placed a memorial message to his uncle on a website, where a memorial page had been opened for the website members to place such memorials in the month preceding Remembrance Day 2006. A short message was entered with the pilot's name, the date of his death, and the location of Ploemeur. In the following months, as the French researchers continued to try to find living kin, this message was noticed. Contact between the French researchers and Russell's nephew was soon then made.

Local Honours 2008

In 2008 the Commune of Larmor-Plage decided to honour the memory of the young pilot of Spitfire AR343 by dedicating a new roundabout in his name. The roundabout is on the Rue de Ploemeur and gave access to a new housing development being built in the village of Kercavès, on the main road between Kernevel and Ploemeur. Beside the roundabout a 'stele' was erected.

The stele was formed by the technical employees of the municipality of Larmor-Plage using the original Spitfire AR343 propeller hub, that had been removed from the nearby crash site. New propeller blades were formed with metal bars and attached to the hub. The stele is fixed to a solid base of granite that was part of the roof of the Keroman U-Boat base at Lorient, just a few kilometers across the estuary to the north east.

At a dedication ceremony, held with full Military and Civic Honours on 8 November 2008, the stele was unveiled.

The Stele carries a plaque engraved with the name of Ernest Russell Lyon, the date of 27 July 1944 and his RAF Squadron details.

Possible Burial location

During the earlier years of World War II a number of cemeteries had been used for the burial of Allied Casualties in and around Lorient. During the heavy bombing campaign of Lorient over the winter of 1942/43 there had been many US, UK and Commonwealth casualties. Initially burials of casualties took place in several local cemeteries in and around Lorient, but the local populace staged silent protest attendances at the funerals of the casualties and after mid-1943 the German authorities chose to carry out all such burials of Allied casualties at Guidel, some kilometers north west of Lorient, and in a cemetery surrounded by a high wall where they could control and keep away the local population more easily.

Many believe that grave No. 33 in Row 6 at Guidel Cemetery is where the remains of F/O Ernest Russell Lyon were buried, on 29 July 1944. Attempts have been made, without success so far, to obtain official recognition of this widely held belief. Efforts to achieve official recognition have continued since March 2009.

In July 2014 those efforts were successful, with the Ministry of Defence confirming that.......it has been decided that the existing headstone on Grave 33 should be replaced with a memorial to F/O Ernest Russell Lyon stating that he is buried near this spot.

Memorials

After World War II Russell Lyon's name was added to the gravestone over his mother Elizabeth's grave in Colinton Cemetery, Edinburgh.

His name appears on the War Memorials in Colinton Cemetery, at George Watson's School Edinburgh, at George Heriot's School Edinburgh, and on Panel 207 at the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede amongst some 20,331 names of World War II RAF casualties with no known grave. He is also recorded in the Book of Remembrance at the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle.

On 8 November 2008 the town of Larmor-Plage dedicated a roundabout in the name of Ernest Russell Lyon, and a 'stele' was unveiled on land next to the roundabout.

On 5 October 2015 a Rededication Service was held at the Guidel Communal Cemetery at 10.30hrs. This was organised by the JCCC at RAF Innsworth. The Service was attended by over 100 persons. Two bagpipers from George Watson's College in Edinburgh led the procession, which was led by eight flag bearers followed by 22 family members, to the grave piping Going Home, based upon a melody by Antonín Dvořák. Later in the Service they also piped Highland Cathedral and as the attendees left, they piped Scotland the Brave. Readings at the Service included John 15:v 9-17, High Flight by Plt.Off.Gillespie Magee and When Freedom Bled by Richard Scarr.

Media Coverage

When the French researchers succeeded in making contact with the living kin of Russell Lyon, and when the Roundabout was dedicated in the name of Ernest Russell Lyon, coverage was given in the English and Scottish press including The Scotsman, The Daily Record, the Daily Mail, and The Edinburgh Evening News. The story was featured in Digging up your Roots, a 30-minute programme, which was broadcast by BBC Radio Scotland in October 2007. This included interviews with the French Researchers, with veteran Spitfire pilots who served with Russell Lyon in 234 Squadron, and with his living kin. The ceremony of the inauguration of the roundabout on 8 November 2008 was given wide coverage in the Scottish and English press. The ceremony was also filmed for Anglia TV, which broadcast an edited version in the early evening news of 11 November 2008.

In the Lorient region of France an article appeared in Ouest-France on 23 January 2008 carrying an appeal for further eyewitnesses to the crash to come forward. This was successful with three new eyewitnesses making contact with the local researchers. The story is used in the local schools for educational purposes, and coverage of this was given by Ouest-France on 18 June 2008.

The 25th Anniversary Edition of Spitfire, The Journal of the Spitfire Society, which was published in Spring 2009, carried an illustrated article on the story at pages 3–6. Another article on the subject was published on pages 36–41, in "Les Cahiers du Pays de Ploemeur", on 17 December 2007.

Medals

Posthumously the following medals were awarded to Ernest Russell Lyon and were sent by the Air Ministry to his father: