Thomas joined the Royal Air Force in 1936, demonstrating considerable skill and dedication in his training. By the outbreak of the Second World War, he was already serving as a fully operational pilot, flying the Hawker Hurricane from RAF Manston in Kent.

The Incident on 2^nd January 1940

On 2^nd January 1940, Thomas requested permission from his Flight Commander to take his aircraft crew for a flight in a Magister Mk1. The request was granted and officially recorded in the Flight Authorisation Book. Early that afternoon, Thomas was observed taking off in Magister I P2508 with a passenger. He climbed to an altitude of 2,000 feet before the aircraft suddenly rolled onto its back and descended in an inverted glide, eventually rolling out at approximately 200 feet. Upon landing, Thomas was questioned by his Flight Commander about the manoeuvre. He was warned that if he repeated such actions, he would be grounded and reported to the Squadron Commanding Officer.

The Fatal Flight

Despite the warning, Thomas subsequently took another crew member up in the Magister. Witnesses noted that the aircraft taxied out at an excessive speed. Two RAF personnel in the vicinity reported seeing the aircraft perform aerobatic manoeuvres at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,500 feet, including flying inverted. One witness observed the aircraft enter a near-vertical dive before disappearing from view, followed by the sound of a crash. Tragically, both Thomas, who was 26 years old, and his passenger, AC2 Sidney Smith, lost their lives in the crash at Garlinge, near Margate, Kent, on Tuesday, 2^nd January 1940.

Board of Inquiry Findings

The subsequent RAF Board of Inquiry heard that Pilot Officer Lewis was typically a careful pilot, although he could be temperamental and required sensitive handling. The Board concluded that the accident was caused by the pilot performing aerobatics at low altitude. Additionally, it was noted that the possibility of the controls being obstructed in the rear cockpit by the passenger could not be ruled out.

Husband of Helen Lewis [d.1999]; father to Cristopher Hugh Lewis [1939-97]: son of Tom Lewis & Linda Lewis of Llanishen, Cardiff, South Wales and where he was subsequently buried.

A downloadable copy of this story is available here.

Revised: October 2025