Book of Remembrance - Volume  I

 

Flying Officer Elton Lascelles Dixon

Royal Canadian Air Force


Son of Leonard Alexander and Margaret Helmer Dixon, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada died on 20-Feb-1944 at the age of 22 while based at Ayr, Scotland, training for war.

The following entry is from 439's War Operations Record Book (Form 540): This is indeed a sad day for all of us. F/O E.L. Dixon (J20973) of Toronto, crashed into a hillside near Cumnoch at approximately 1135 hours in Typhoon 8971 and was killed. "Dix" was number 3 man in a three plane formation. Visibility being poor, he lost (sight of) them. Thinking they had c limbed, he went through the overcast, and not being able to find them, asked for a homing. He struck the hill while coming in on his homing through the clouds. He had been with the Squadron since November 1942. His ability as an organizer and leader will be missed greatly and with everyone, his popularity could not be exceeded.

Following entry is from The Canadian Virtual War Memorial website  courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

F/O E.L. Dixon (J20973) is buried at AYR CEMETERY, United Kingdom, Grave Reference: Sec. R. 1931 Div. Grave 2719.

Webmasters note: the following information and photos has been graciously provided by former RCAF F/L GW Hewson, who incidentally, was a close friend of F/O Dixon and served as the CO of his funeral.

F/O Elton L. Dixon graduated as a pilot at the head of his class from the Brantford flying school in November 1942. He was at Derbert N.S. until going overseas in December 1943. 

He was born in Calcutta, where his father ( Canon L.A. Dixon) spent 19 years in Y.M.C.A. Missionary work. Coming to Canada at the age of 10, he attended public and high school in Orillia, Ontario and matriculated from Ridley college. When he enlisted he was in his second year in medicine at the University of Toronto.

At Ridley he played on the championship rugby team in the Little Big Four League. He was also a member of the cricket team and in 1938 he won the school's five mile cross country race.

 

Photos:

Upper right - F/O Dixon's flag draped coffin being drawn on a carriage through the streets of Ayr, Scotland. Escorted by his closest friends and pall bearers, the cortege is followed at a distance by other Squadron members .

Lower Left - Funeral Service and internment at the local cemetery.

Photos courtesy of GW Hewson, F/O RCAF 439 Squadron who as well being a close friend of F/O Dixon, acted as Funeral Commander at his funeral

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