Airmans family make medal pilgrimage (From Western Telegraph)

Airmans family make medal pilgrimage

Mrs Muriel Bennett and Mr Terry Capes, together with Terrys wife, Pat, travelled from York last week to visit the Pembroke Dock Gun Tower Museum, where the medals of Flight Sergeant Fred Capes are on display. Fred, an RAF navigator with No 228 Squadron, was lost on operations, along with all his crew, when their Sunderland was shot down by a German U-boat on May 24th, 1943. They have no known graves.

The three medals - the 1939-45 Star, the Atlantic Star and the War Medal - are the central part of a display on Fred Capes which also includes photographs, badges of rank and his Observers brevet.

The family are very pleased with the way in which their brother had been remembered at Pembroke Dock. Said Muriel: Fred was our elder brother and we remember him with great pride.

Added Terry: It has been a great pleasure for us to see people reading about our brother and his crew and to know that their sacrifices are remembered.

We were impressed with the Museum and especially its Roundel Room and the displays on RAF Pembroke Dock and its flying-boats.

The medals were received by Museum Trust secretary and local flying-boat historian John Evans.

Said John: We are very honoured to have been given these medals for display. This is the first Atlantic Star that we have and it is a particularly important medal as all Sunderland aircrew took part in the Battle of the Atlantic which Winston Churchill rated as the most important battle of World War Two.