Message from DamienB posted on Planetalk. Rest in peace Les.
It is my very sad duty to report that Les Bywaters – forum member LesB – passed away in hospital last night with his family around him.
Les played his own small part in defending us all against the threat from the Soviets during the cold war as ground crew in RAF Germany – with 3(F) Squadron and their Canberras, and also with 51 Squadron.
It was the Canberra that he returned to in recent years, building up the single best website on the subject – http://www.bywat.co.uk – and really getting back into aviation in a big way. Sadly he was not quite so mobile in the last couple of years so didn’t make it to as many airshows as he’d have liked.
The funeral will be at the Markeaton Crematorium in Derby (post code DE22 4NH for the satnavs), on 27th January at 14:00. The family have requested no flowers. Les was a keen supporter of the RNLI (http://www.rnli.org.uk) so rather than flowers if you’d like to make a donation to them – direct or via his family at the funeral – Les would no doubt have been pleased.
Blue skies mate – you’ll be missed.
By: laviticus - 4th February 2009 at 20:51
RIP
By: iceni - 2nd February 2009 at 12:00
I served with Les back in the mid-60’s on 51 Sdn.
Blue skies mate.
By: pully113 - 27th January 2009 at 19:00
Rest in Peace Les, Thanks for the support
I met Les at ‘Cockpitfest’, its when I owned Canberra nose section WJ676. He was so enthusiastic and for a couple of years he would always come over and say hello and tell me how good it looked.
Regretfully after selling the nose section I lost contact with Les but I will always remember his smile and encouragement
I hope he is really flying now..
By: peppermint_jam - 23rd January 2009 at 10:32
I was saddened to hear of this. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but had exchangedmany emails and submitted some photos for his rather excellent canberra tribute website.
For those who have never visited it, make yourself a brew, click this and enjoy!
I hope his website can be maintained in his honour.
Rest in peace les.
By: Fouga23 - 17th January 2009 at 23:47
.:(
By: ALBERT ROSS - 17th January 2009 at 23:37
Very sorry to read this. I helped Les with Canberra photos for his site and he was always a very helpful source for Canberra information. Met him at Sywell Air Show three years ago and I gave him a Corgi Canberra model for his dedication to the type. RIP Les!
By: Rocketeer - 17th January 2009 at 23:30
Blue skies Les…..will be sadly missed…..I can hear the sounds of cart starts in heaven…
By: duxfordhawk - 17th January 2009 at 11:57
RIP Les,
I only knew him from here but i will miss his comments and threads, His passionate about aviation and the canberra was something to behold.
Blue skies Les.
By: Lindy's Lad - 16th January 2009 at 19:10
To echo Avrobaby, condolences. Les advised me on the best course of action for NEAM’s TT18.
He can’t have been that old?….. Blue skies to a true aviation enthusiast – if only eveybody put in as much effort as him.
By: JetBlast - 16th January 2009 at 09:28
Deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Les, having met and conversed with him on many occasions, always helpful and gave sound advice.
Blue skies from all of us here at the Blackburn Buccaneer Society.
By: ...starfire - 15th January 2009 at 23:00
Sad to hear … 🙁 He will be missed, definitely.
RIP Les.
By: XH668 - 15th January 2009 at 22:42
Again like some i didnt know him personaly but like all i learnt quite alot from les. Hes knowlege about the canberra was tremendous and there will be a hole that i doubt can ever be filled.
Its a sad day when someone with the passion as yourself is no longer there, you all feel closer like a tight knit family.
Lets hope the website stays running as a memory to les
668
By: Denis - 15th January 2009 at 21:46
Sorry to hear of LesB’s passing. Didnt know him personally but only on here as a fellow forumite. Sincere condolences to his family.
By: avrobaby67 - 15th January 2009 at 19:54
Another legend gone
Blue skies Les – respects and best wishes to your family.
From all at the North East Aircraft Museum – Sunderland.
Everytime I look at our Canberra we will remember you.
By: nazca_steve - 15th January 2009 at 17:51
This is sad news… I met Les on many occasions at the Midland Air Museum, and had the utmost respect for his Canberra knowledge….
Blue Skies Les, you will be missed
Very, very sad. I just saw this now. Like Hunterfx, I met Les at the MAM once as well, following almost a year of e-mail correspondence in which he kindly filled me in a lot of Canberra ins and outs, as well as some cracking cold-war stories from his RAF years. He also ‘proofed’ my early Canberra repaints for FS2004 very thoroughly and I thank him for that. Top, top bloke and I will miss him a lot.
I do wonder what will happen to his superb web site, as it is too good to let fall by the wayside. I shall pay my respects to him from this side of the Atlantic and will miss his posts on all the forums. Definitely the authority on the Cranberry. Rest in peace, Les.
Steve
By: Moggy C - 15th January 2009 at 17:09
Another one who will never actually be completely lost to us. His contributions, nearly always valuable and insightful, will live in zombie threads for a long time to come.
He will be missed though.
Moggy
By: Mondariz - 15th January 2009 at 16:53
I did not know Les Bywaters personally, but as a forumite I would always be saddened by the passing of a kindred aviation enthusiast….
My deepest condolences.
R.I.P.
By: Scott Marlee - 15th January 2009 at 16:27
RIP Les
Blue skies sir
you really will be a loss but never forgotten
By: Bruce - 15th January 2009 at 16:19
Threads merged to keep it all in one place.
Bruce
By: madjock mcgrok - 15th January 2009 at 16:06
Les Bywaters RIP
It is my sad duty to inform all that Les Bywaters, fellow rigger Canberra nut, forumite and all round good bloke passed away on 13 January. His contributions to the forum as LesB will be sadly missed.
See you in the crewroom Les- get the tea’s in
MadusJockus
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January 14, 2009 at 5:47 pm