Zebulon Lewis "Lewie" Leigh, (19 June 1906 – 22 December 1996) was a Canadian

aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

. He never used his first name and was always addressed as "Lewie".

Aviation career

Leigh was the first pilot to work for Trans Canada Airlines in 1937.

Second World War service

Lewie joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940. His first assignment was anti-submarine flying, but was transferred to Transport Command in 1942. It is there that he is chiefly remembered for his excellent administrative abilities, almost overnight revolutionizing how Transport Command ran, more like a professional airline than the previous hodge podge of assignments. Leigh frequently got out from behind the desk to oversee the work being done. One of his great talents was finding good people; and he frequently praised them in his memoirs. As an example, he secured the awarding of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

for Leslie Collins, one of his squadron leaders.Legion Magazine, January 2007 Leigh continued in RCAF service until 1957.

Later activities

Leigh would write his memoirs after his service titled ''And I Shall Fly''. He also wrote a biography of his wife titled ''My lady of courage : the story of Lillian Jane "Lin" Leigh''. Leigh was one of the founders of the

Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, based in The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, commemorates and honours those whose accomplishments in aviation contributed so much to Canada's development as a nation. Founded in 1973, the Hall of ...

and was inducted in 1974.

Photography

Leigh also was an extensive chronicler of his work and travels. The Canadian national archives possesses 644 of Leigh's photographs ranging from 1919 to 1986.

Awards and honours

1944 * Trans Canada McKee Trophy 1946 *

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...

, CM *

, 1974 *

Yukon Territory Order of Polaris The Order of Polaris is awarded by the Government of Yukon's Transportation Hall of Fame for meritorious service in Yukon in the field of aviation. The Order of Polaris was created by the Government of Yukon in 1973, to honour members of the Can ...

Lewie is featured on the commemorative twenty dollar Canadian coin issued in the "History of Aviation" series in 1993. He is pictured as a cameo along with a Lockheed Electra. Leigh Crescent, a street in the City of

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

, is named for him.Naming Edmonton: from Ada to Zoie, by Merrily K. Aubrey.

References

External links

* http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/eppp-archive/100/200/301/ic/can_digital_collections/aviation/m033.htm * http://www.legionmagazine.com/en/index.php/2007/01/air-transport-lifts-off/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Leigh, Zebulon 1906 births 1996 deaths British emigrants to Canada Bush pilots Canadian aviators Canadian World War II pilots Members of the Order of Canada Canadian Officers of the Order of the British Empire Royal Canadian Air Force officers