Date:	Saturday 16 June 1928
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH.60X Moth Seaplane
Owner/operator:	Western Canada Airways Ltd
Registration:	G-CAIG
MSN:	434
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	St. Charles Airport, Winnipeg, Manitoba -   Canada
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	St. Charles Airport, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Destination airport:	St. Charles Airport, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
DH.60X Moth Seaplane G-CAIG: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed 16.6.28; Crew was performing a training mission. On final approach to Winnipeg-Saint Charles Airport, Winnipeg, Manitoba, aircraft stalled and crashed. While the pilot was seriously injured, the student pilot Major Walter Brodgin Lawson (aged 35) was killed. As a mining engineer he had decided to secure a private pilot's licence and crashed in a Moth while taking a Western Canada Airways refresher course. He was 35 years of age.

According to a contemporary newspaper report (Winnipeg Free Press Friday, June 22, 1928 p.6 - see link #2) on the funeral of the pilot

"The funeral of Major Walter B Lawson, well known airman, who was killed in a crash in Winnipeg on Saturday June 16, was conducted in Christ Church, on Tuesday afternoon by the Rev. F. U. Woodcock. Many former army friends attended. Burial was in Mount Pleasant cemetery. The chief mourners were his mother, Mrs. J. Lawson, and his three Brothers, T. W. Lawson lawyer, Major H. H. Lawson, Kingston, J. Lawson architect, and his two Sisters Mrs. Chisholm and Miss Elaine Lawson. The pall bearers were Lieutenant Col. C. H. Mylar"

Walter Brogdin Lawson was born on 11th November 1892* in Toronto, Canada and died on 16th June 1928 in Winnipeg, Canada. He was buried on 19th June 1928 in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto. *Note that several published sources gave the year of Walter Brogdin Lawson's birth as "1892" [sic]. However, an archived record card dated 20 September 1914 when he "joined up" with the Canadian Army (and in Lawson's own handwriting) states his date of birth as "Nov 11-1891" (see link #9).

1. Report of crash: Winnipeg Free Press Monday June 16, 1928 p.1 & p.3: https://archives.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-free-press/1928-06-16/
2. Report of Pilot's Funeral: Winnipeg Free Press Friday, June 22, 1928 p.6: https://archives.winnipegfreepress.com/winnipeg-free-press/1928-06-22/page-6/
3. https://canadiangreatwarproject.com/person.php?pid=1065964
4. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh60.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-C.html
6. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-canada-register/g-ca?highlight=WyJnLWNhaWciXQ==
7. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh60x-moth-winnipeg
8. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/story/70705
9. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=521763
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airports_in_the_Winnipeg_area

c/no. 434 DH.60X Seaplane [Cirrus II]: to Western Canada Airways with C of A 1229 issued 5.10.27. Registered G-CAIG [C of R 331] 14.12.27 to Western Canada Airways Ltd, Winnipeg.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Jan-2008 03:13	JINX	Added
09-Dec-2011 15:31	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]
09-Dec-2011 15:35	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
03-Sep-2017 16:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
09-Dec-2023 17:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Nature, Source, Narrative, Category]
29-Mar-2024 10:30	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]