Wren (Special Writer) 24094 Yvonne Lilian Capon, HMS Royal Arthur...
...was born the 10th of September, 1922 at Surbiton, Surrey, one of four children, the daughter of Thomas Cardale Capon (1891 to 1968) and Lilian May nee Bradley (1893 to 1974), of Combe Road, New Malden, South West London.
At some time, Yvonne joined the WRNS and posted to the shore station HMS Royal Arthur at Ingoldmells near Skegness. This used to be a former Butlins holiday camp, and was requisitioned by the Navy shortly after the outbreak of war and commissioned as a training establishment for new recruits.
On the 5th of April 1942, whilst walking along the coast near Skegness with friend Wren Kathleen Wainwright, aged 21, the couple came to a gap in a barrier and walked through it onto the beach. Unbeknown to them, the beach was mined, one of which was triggered. Yvonne received serious head injuries in the explosion and was killed; Kathleen Wainwright received severe facial burns and wounds to her body; she would later have her left leg amputated above the knee, but survived.
There was one other fatality arising from the incident. Aircraftman Second Class 1488972 Thomas Jennens Malone RAFVR aged 39 of 52, Bolinbroke Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne who was also killed by a mine whilst going to the aid of the two Wrens. He suffered “terrible limb and other injuries, his death was due to haemorrhage and shock”.
Prior to the inquest his wife would give evidence that she and her husband were out walking when they heard a moaning sound that sounded like a girl. She followed her husband down a path towards the injured woman. As they got to the end of the path, there was an explosion and her husband was seriously injured and she received injuries to her left shoulder. At the inquest, a verdict of misadventure was entered on both fatalities. Aircraftman Malone is buried in Newcastle Upon Tyne (Byker and Heaton) Cemetery.
Wren Yvonne Capon is buried in Marsh Lane Cemetery, Surbiton with her brother - Pilot Officer 42741 Cardale Frederick Alexander Capon RAF, 257 Squadron. [On the 1st of January 1941, flying Hurricane V7186, he was killed while landing in a blizzard at Coltishall whilst returning from a patrol, he was aged 20.] The grave has a private, non CWGC headstone.
Note: Surbiton Cemetery contains sixty four Commonwealth War Graves
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