FREDERICK THORPE MAPPIN (CWE)

I was the son of a gentleman farmer from Scampton, Samuel Wilson Mappin and the grandson of a famous Sheffield Philanthropist, who I was named after. My Grandfather, Sir Frederick Thorpe Mappin owned a steelworks in Sheffield and was a Director of the Midland Railway, he was also the MP for Sheffield for many years.

It appears I emigrated to Canada in 1908 via Liverpool where I married Matilda Elizabeth Mathews in Quebec.

In 1916, I began training to become a pilot in the Canadian Air Services in Los Angeles. At the time Canadian Air Service had no pilot training schools of its own, so contracted out to American and Canadian civilian flying schools, it appears that this is why I was in Los Angeles.

Newspaper account of the accident (note name has been misspelt as Nappin):

Aviator Injured

Gardena July 16 – Fred Nappin (sic), A Canadian aviator, training to fly for the British battle front in France, made a poor landing with his aeroplane at Dominguez Slough, braking one of the wings before he fell, shattering his nose and injuring his head. It is thought he may be suffering from a fractured skull.

Nappin had come to Los Angeles on 28th April of this year, from Vancouver to join the A C Burns Aviation School. His training was financed by patriotic Britons who are planning to send an aviation corps from Canada. He is 31 years old and lives at No. 207 East Seventh Street.

Under the tutelage of Burns, flying expert for the Martin school, Nappin went to Dominguez Slough South field yesterday and ascended. He had been in the air alone several times.

His flight was successful until he attempted to make a landing. Then he became excited and tilted the machine. As it struck the ground one of the wings was torn away, and the machine turned over on the aviator.

His face was caught under the heavy machine and nose crushed. He was unconscious when taken to the Angelus Hospital in Los Angeles.

The surgeons were unable to determine the extent of the injuries but reported it was probable the aviator is suffering only from concussion of the brain.

Despite the optimistic tone of the newspaper report, Frederick died the next day and was returned home to Scampton for burial.

This is Scampton’s earliest aviation related grave, only 12 years after the Wright Brothers had first taken to the air. It is also one of only two military burials at Scampton that are not commemorated with a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone. This choice was left to the families and some opted for private burial arrangements.