CANAL ZONERS

MILITARY CEMETERY IMTARFA, MALTA

WE DO REMEMBER THEM

 

18th FEBRUARY 1956

On February 18th, an Avro York taking 44 RAF Personnel and 1 Army Personnel home stopped at Malta to re-fuel. Soon after taking off again, black smoke was seen coming from one of the engines and, within minutes it went into a dive and crashed in a field near Zurrieg and exploded on impact. All 45 passengers and the 5 crew members were killed instantly.

All the RAF Personnel had finished their tour of duty and were on their way home. Pte Smith (RAOC) was on his way home on Compassionate Leave.

Miss Jillian Upham, the Stewardess was engaged to be married to the First Officer, R Gorvin and they were due to be married at Easter of that year.

There is now a plaque at Zurrieg, recognising the place where so many of our young lost their lives.

 

The Service Personnel

Rank Last Name Initial Number Age
SGT ALLBERRY BFJ 592448 22
LAC BARBOUR AM 4014297 33
CPL BLY PJ 2721129 20
CPL BRACEWELL J 4411464 24
LAC BROWN D 4122086 20
CPL BURKE CC 1994756 23
LAC BUTCHART SH 4081381 22
LAC CARLTON PR 4084971 22
CPL COLLIER JD 4070082 23
CPL COX JR 4922778 22
CPL CRAIGIE GA 4076740 22
LAC DRURY-LOWE T 2718503 20
SAC DUMBILL TG 2718862 20
CPL EDWARDS JA 4091828 33
CPL FAWCETT JS 4416734 22
LAC FITZPATRICK JL 4080588 21
AC FLEMING MJ 4079838 21
LAC FLEMING W 4079955 21
FL SGT GEORGE HF 531122 42
LAC HAMPSON R 4092401 22
LAC HARRIS ER 4092027 22
SAC HODSON SA 3142934 20
LAC HOLLIDAY JM 4425984 20
LAC KEATING FRJ 4084173 22
LAC KENYON GA 4099256 21
CPL McKAY JJ 1923587 21
LAC MILLAR D 4129461 22
LAC NURSE MMJ 4122093 20
LAC PARKER D 4090130 21
CPL PATERSON AJ 2718806 20
CPL PRACHETT BC 3513692 21
LAC PYE MJ 3513124 21
CPL ROBERTS TK 4125466 21
PTE SMITH (RAOC) A 23060700 20
SGT SPENCE JW 4010658 29
SGT SPENCER JA 643611 31
CPL STEVEN W 2558097 22
CPL TALBOT WG 4401881 21
CPL WARING RF 4129185 20
LAC WELSH WJ 4091991 21
LAC WILLIAMS KE 4125725 21
CPL WILLIAMS R 4004177 27
LAC WILSON JF 4091342 21
SAC WORTLEY G 4115681 21
AC YOUNG R 4130204 20

The Civilian Crew

CAPTAIN - PILOT COKER AF
FIRST OFFICER - CO-PILOT GORVIN R
NAVIGATION OFFICER BEECHEY R
RADIO OFFICER HAY J
STEWARDESS UPHAM J

 

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