Reginald Lucas
Attended Brunts School before joining the family's motor trade business.
He learnt to fly with the Nottingham Flying Club based at Tollerton Airfield. He received his Royal Aero Aviators Certificate on 14th November 1935. He flew in a De Haviland Moth Major.
- Family History
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Son of Reginald and Sarah A Lucas of Hillcrest, Nottingham Road, Mansfield.
Siblings: Hannah (1913), John (1914), Ronald (1917), Douglas (1919) and Ida (1923).
IBCC: Handley Page Halifax I. Serial Number L9489 marking TL-F.
Pilot.
Flew from Linton on Ouse to Le Harve. Shot down by an Allied night fighter on the return trip over British soil.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 14/3/1941: Mansfield Pilot's Death. Sgt Pilot Reg Lucas Killed on Service.
It was a severe shock to a wide circle of friends when it was learned on Tuesday that Sgt Pilot Reg Lucas had recently met his death whilst on active service and as a rsult of enemy action.
Reg Lucas was the eldest son of Mr & Mrs R Lucas of 12 Brunt Street Mansfield and was 29 years old. Educated at Brunts School before being called up at the beginning of the war he was well associated with his father and brothers in the well known motor business in mansfield which bears their name.
He obtained his flying licence sometime before the war having been a member of the Nottingham Flying Club at Tollerton and also being in the Volunteer Reserve of the RAF.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 21/3/1941: Obituary; Sgt Pilot R Lucas of Mansfield.
Military honours at the funeral. Admid every token of sympathy and respect the coffin being draped in the Union Jack the mortal remains of Sgt Pilot Reginald Lucas, 29 year old son of Mr & Mrs R Lucas of Brunt St, Mansfield was interred with military honours at mansfield Cemetery following a service at St Peter's Church. Six NCOs bore the coffin to the graveside.
The local news reported the death to be due to enemy action but it was actually a friendly fire incident. The sortie over Le Harve was the first operational flight for the 6 Halifaxes, but on their return they encountered a night fighter covering a raid on Portsmouth and L9489 was shot down in error. The crew managed to push Sgt Ron Eady out of the plane, pulling his ripcord before he left the plane has he had been injured by shrapnal. The pilot, Sqdn/Leader Gilchrist also managed to bail out but the rest of the crew were no so lucky. Sgt Stanley Broadhurst from Mansfield Woodhouse was a fellow crew member and he also died in the crash.
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