Capon, Alfred Laurence
Killed in Flying Accident 1943-10-05
Birth Date: 1923
Born:
Alfred Leonard & Katharine Clarissa Capon
Home: Frankton Junction, Auckland, New Zealand (parents)
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RNZAF
Unit
1 CNS- Central Navigation School
Base
Rivers, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
426881
First Burial
Rivers Cemetery, Rivers, Manitoba, Canada
1 CNS - see Petrie David Renfrew. also Anson 6642.
1 Central Navigation School, Rivers, Manitoba. Anson aircraft 6642 and Anson aircraft DG 872 were engaged in a night navigation exercise when they collided in mid-air and then crashed one mile north of the aerodrome at Rivers.
All those aboard both of the aircraft were killed in the crash.
Killed, DG-872 includes Capon:Pilot Officer William Harry Earl RCAF C/24354 KIA Woodlawn Cemetery Saskatoon Block J. Lot 401. Grave 81.Pilot Officer Thomas Westcott Nixon RCAF C/26582 KIA Park Lawn Cemetery Toronto Sec. T. Lot 421. Grave 3.Pilot Officer David Renfrew Petrie RCAF C/26583 KIA St. James Cemetery Winnipeg Lot 4. Block 219. Grave A.Sergeant Leroy Edgar Plate RCAF R/168250 pilot KIA Mount Hope Cemetery Kitchener Lot 1566.
Killed Anson 6642:Sergeant J A Cummer RCAF (capt)LAC R G G Smith RCAFLAC A MacArthur RCAFSergeant L P Guay RCAF
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)This incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Anson Mk. I Serial: DG872
- Anson Mk. I Serial: 6642
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Anson DG872
Avro Anson
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Museum's Anson Mk. V was built by MacDonald Brothers in Winnipeg in 1944. It flew with No. 7 Photographic Wing and No. 414 Squadron in Ottawa on photo survey work until the late 1940s. In 1956, it was purchased by INCO and used for mineral surveying until 1980, when it was donated to the Museum. The exterior is painted in the yellow colour common to all BCATP trainers and is in its same wartime RCAF markings.
The Avro Anson was known by a number of nicknames including "Faithful Annie" or "Flying Greenhouse". It was the first aircraft to be flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936. In 1940, a Canadian government owned company, Federal Aircraft Limited, was created in Montreal to manufacture the Anson for Canadian use. Nearly 3,000 Anson aircraft were produced and, in the early days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the Anson was the standard trainer for many pilots, observers (navigators), wireless operators and bomb aimers. More than 20,000 aircrew received training on the Anson. In Canadian service, the aircraft was substantially re-designed with the substitution of North American engines and many other airframe and equipment changes.Harold Skaarup web pages
Harold A Skaarup Web Page 
Avro Anson History1 CNS (1 Central Navigation School)
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Rivers MB
Anson DG872
Anson Mk. I DG872
1942-02-26 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1943-August-18 Accident: 1 Central Navigation School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Capon | Clifford | Cockrane | Medrington | Plate | Reid
1943-October-05 Accident: 1 Central Navigation School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Capon | Cummer | Earl | Guay | MacArthur | Nixon | Petrie | Plate | Smith
1943-11-08 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Anson 6642
Anson Mk. I 6642
Ex RAF W2309. Winter conversion set installed during assembly. To No. 4 Training Command on 12 July 1941, for use by No. 3 Air Observer School at Regina, Saskatchewan. To Aircraft Repair for overhaul, 31 December 1942 to 22 June 1943. To No. 2 Training Command when completed. Completely destroyed in Category A crash on 5 October 1943. Ownership to No. 8 Repair Depot for write off on 25 October 1943.1941-05-08 Taken on Strength MacDonald Brothers Aircraft 2019-08-20
1943-October-05 Accident: 1 Central Navigation School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Capon | Cummer | Earl | Guay | MacArthur | Nixon | Petrie | Plate | Smith
1943-11-08 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20