Lionel was born in 1920 in Birkenhead the son of Harry and Charlotte née Adams and had one sister Sylvia. Lionel’s father Harry was the President of the Birkenhead Hebrew Congregation where he ran a furniture dealership.

Lionel worked as a P.T. instructor on several liners and volunteered into the RAF when war broke out.

Wellington R1717 took off from RAF Stradishall on 3 September 1941 on a bombing mission to Frankfurt. The aircraft crashed into the sea off the French coast. All the crew perished and are buried at Dunkirk Town Cemetery.

Pilot, Reginald Hubert May, 60822
W/Op/AG, Lionel Black, 948150
A/G, Jesse Clemence Brakeman, R/68117
W/Op, Clifford Hambleton 955336
Nav, James Patrick McKay, R/58824
W/Op/AG, Leslie Whitehouse Price 981412