Lionel was born in 1922 in St Pancras, London the son of Polish born Abraham and Esther nee Smith and had an older brother Joseph who married Sophia Papier and changed his surname to Cornell. After the war Lionel’s parents and his brother and family emigrated to New Zealand.

On 1 Feb 1945, Anson DG902 departed from RAF Wigtown on a night navigation exercise over the Irish Sea. At 11.30pm the aircraft reported that it was about to land at base, and was given a bearing from base wireless station. No distress signals were heard, but the aircraft never returned. Wreckage was subsequently found in the sea 5m SE of Mull of Galloway, Scotland, with no sign of the crew.

1398257, Pilot Thomas Edward Anthony
RAAF, 419249, Staff W/Op. John Douglas Campbell Bell
1033604, Trainee W/Op. Dennis Henry Clayton
1804916, Trainee A/B Lionel Cornbloom
1815753, Pupil Nav. George Arnold