Mourners gathered to pay their respects to a dedicated RAF engineer who died in a Red Arrows crash as two typhoons performed a flypast as a final salute to their fallen colleague.
Corporal Jonathan Bayliss, 41, died after the Hawk T1 aircraft he was in plummeted to the ground at RAF Valley in Anglesey, north Wales on March 20.
He had dreamed of being in the RAF since he was a boy and has been described as ‘a generous, kind and caring man who could also always be relied upon’.
Around 150 people attended an emotional service at Lincoln Cathedral today to say farewell to the popular engineer.
Mourners gathered to pay their respects to dedicated RAF engineer Corporal Jonathan Bayliss who died in a Red Arrows crash in north Wales last month as two typhoons (pictured) performed a flypast as a final salute to their fallen colleague.
Cpl Jonathan Bayliss’s funeral took place at Lincoln Cathedral on Friday. His funeral is pictured inside the hearse draped in a Union Jack flag
The RAF arranged a guard of honour and officers acted as pallbearers for the coffin, which was draped in the Union Jack with an RAF cap placed on top.
Corporal Jonathan Bayliss (pictured), 41, died after the Hawk T1 aircraft he was in plummeted to the ground at RAF Valley in Anglesey, north Wales on March 20
Before the service a flypast over the cathedral took place performed by two Typhoon jets from 41 Squadron of RAF Coningsby – a unit where Cpl Bayliss had worked during his career.
Heartfelt floral tributes included a bouquet displaying the RAF symbol with eight Red Arrows and one blue, to signify his role as an engineer, and the initials ‘JB’.
Armed police secured the cathedral site and surrounding roads were closed to make way for mourners including family, friends, senior officers and members of the Red Arrows team.
The service was led by the Reverend Rachel Cook, Royal Air Force,and featured hymns, prayers, poetry and tributes from colleagues.
The Last Post could also be heard and music from the Band of Brothers was played before a private burial service.
Born in Dartford, Kent, Cpl Bayliss had been a member of the Red Arrows team since January 2016.
He was described by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson after his death as a ‘shining example of what the British Armed Forces stand for’.
A heartfelt floral tribute to Cpl Bayliss is pictured displaying the RAF symbol containing eight Red Arrows and one blue, to signify his role as an engineer, with the initials ‘JB’
The RAF arranged a guard of honour and officers acted as pallbearers for the coffin, which was draped in the Union flag with an RAF peaked cap placed on top
The engineer had dreamed of being in the RAF since he was a boy and has been described as ‘a generous, kind and caring man who could also always be relied upon’ since his death in March
RAF Sergeant Will Allen said: ‘Having worked with Jon both at the Red Arrows and elsewhere in the Royal Air Force, I know how tirelessly he approached each task and was, what many would describe, a genuine grafter.
‘Jon had a big a presence on the Squadron and with his wide beaming smile, and dry humour, could lighten up any dull moment or lift spirits when needed.
‘Both inside and outside of work, he was a generous, kind and caring man who could also always be relied upon.’
Before joining the RAF in 2001 he worked at Brands Hatch. He later went on to support successful tours to the Far East and mainland Europe.
The hearse carrying Cpl Bayliss’s coffin is pictured arriving at Lincoln Cathedral today
Floral tributes are pictured alongside the coffin of Cpl Jonathan Bayliss at his funeral today
Colleagues of fallen Red Arrows engineer Cpl Jonathan Bayliss are pictured standing to attention alongside his hearse in Lincoln today
Family, friends and colleagues stand by as the coffin is removed from the hearse
The 41-year-old’s colleagues are pictured carrying his coffin into Lincoln Cathedral
Wing Commander Andrew Keith said: ‘Corporal Bayliss was a popular colleague and someone whom others looked up to, being able to draw inspiration from his knowledge and strength of character.
A Red Arrows colleague is pictured paying tribute to Cpl Bayliss outside his funeral at Lincoln Cathedral today
‘The Red Arrows family is a close one – the Squadron is a small team who live and work side-by-side and the overwhelming number of condolence messages, received from around the world, have been enormously comforting to us all and we are very grateful for that.’
Flight Lieutenant David Stark, 35, was also injured in the crash, but escaped death after being ejected from £30m aircraft moments before it burst into flames.
Flt Lt Stark is believed to have flown to the Anglesey base with his crewmate for ground simulator training.
They had just taken off on their way home to base at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, when an ‘incident’ forced them to try to land back at Valley at 1.30pm. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.
RAF Valley is used to train UK fighter pilots and aircrew for mountain and maritime operations.
Prince William was based there as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.
About 1,500 service personnel, civil servants and contractors work at the site.
Cpl Bayliss was in a Red Arrows Hawk T1 £30million aircraft when it crashed in north Wales
Pictured: The scene of the fatal crash at RAF Valley, Anglesey, north Wales on March 20