Pilot Officer David Farquhar Capel (404602) served with the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War.
Born in Bingara, Gwydir Shire, New South Wales, Australia on 6th June 1920, he was the son of Raymond Cecil Capel and Irene May Capel of Goodniwindi, Queensland, Australia. David enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 11th October 1940 in Brisbane. He would eventually serve with R.A.F. 220 Squadron based at R.A.F. Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry.
Capel died on 10th August 1942 aged 22 years old. He was an observer on Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress IIA FK207. The plane was part of no. 15 Group Coastal Command operating from Ballykelly. The 6 crew members, including Capel, took off from Ballykelly at 1946hrs on 10th August 1942. On an operational patrol, their task was to provide a night-time escort to convoy ONS 120. At around 2330hrs, the Flying Fortress crashed near R.A.F. Nutts Corner, Co. Antrim. There were no survivors.
Imperial War Museum Photo: CH 7693 (Part of the Air Ministry Second World War Official Collection). Fortress Mark I AN537 NR-L, of R.A.F. 220 Squadron based at Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry, on patrol over a convoy. The aircraft radar aerials, serial number and unit code letters have been obliterated by the wartime censor.
Fortress FK207 Crash
The plane lost speed while turning and collided with rising ground in bad weather while returning from the convoy mission.
The aircraft passed over the drome at Nutts Corner at about 2330hrs, turned left as if to turn in on the runway. When immediately downwind of the runway the aircraft dived into the ground, caught fire and disintegrated with the bomb load exploding. The weather at the time was poor with low cloud which forced the aircraft to fly very close to rising ground.
Court Of Inquiry
This appears to be a case of losing flying speed in a turn at too low an altitude to permit recovery.
Group Captain Commanding – R.A.F. Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry
Remembering the crew of FK207
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garcia | H | Sergeant | Wireless Operator / Air Gunner | Buried in St Catherine's Church of Ireland Churchyard, Killead, Co. Antrim. |
| Foster | PG | Sergeant | Wireless Operator / Air Gunner | Buried in Glenavy Roman Catholic Churchyard, Co. Antrim. |
| Sanderson | GA | Warrant Officer | Pilot | Buried in Kingston Cemetery, Portsmouth, UK. |
| Bristow | EW | Flight Sergeant | Co-Pilot | Buried in Bear Road Borough Cemetery, Brighton, UK. |
| Fretter | VC | Sergeant | Wireless Operator / Air Gunner | Buried in Astley Cemetery, Leicestershire, UK. |
| Capel | DF | Pilot Officer | Observer | Buried in St Catherine's Church of Ireland Churchyard, Killead, Co. Antrim. |
David Farquhar Capel’s grave is in Section 23, Grave 8 of St. Catherine’s Church of Ireland, Killead, Co. Antrim.