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Last changed 13 September 2009
The following email (plus a newspaper report) has prompted me to add a name to the list of unfortunate victims of this crash. If anybody can throw any light on this please get in touch.
Hi
I am the daughter of
A/Sergeant John Michael Hughes (592522)
I believe
he died in this accident. I have not found any mention of his name
but the events described by my mother all fit this incident.
He was
in 70 Squadron and we (my mother brother and sister) were living in
Cyprus when the accident occurred. I was five years old and have
little or no memory of the incident save that which my mother told us
many years later.
I know that he has a military grave in Cyprus Dhekalia cemetry.
I would appreciate if anyone can shed some light on this.
regards
Suzanne Russo nee Hughes
Webmaster
Re Suzanne Russo's request for information about her father A/Sergeant John Michael Hughes (592522) and her belief that he died in the above mentioned accident;
I was a patient in the RAF El Adem sick quarters at the time of the accident, and all patients who were not seriously ill were immediately discharged to make room for the survivors.
I cannot confirm whether A/Sgt Hughes was killed in the crash but I did hear that the Quartermaster, who would have been a Sergeant, initially escaped from the burning aircraft but went back in to try and save some of the soldiers still inside the aircraft. This resulted in the Quartermaster losing his own life.
This was a very brave deed by the Quartermaster and if Suzanne Russo's father was the Quartermaster then she can be very proud of having a hero for a father.
Regards
Ernie Bullock
Suzanne has confirmed that her father was indeed the Air Quartermaster.
From Webmaster:-
I was working in the C.R.D.F. (Cathode Ray Direction Finder) hut at the end of the runway that night and saw the explosion and subsequent fire.
Later and throughout that night I (with two others) was required to do guard duty on the aircraft to ensure that nothing was interfered with.
I also served in Malta (Siggiewi) for three years 1966-69.
This aircraft was carrying members of the Maltese Fortress Squadron within the Royal Engineers.
Of the 37 people on board, 17 died of which 15 were Maltese. They had been working with 5001 Squadron.
The son (Dr. Noel Cutajar) of a survivor has provided us with interesting
comment on what happened to the victims that were flown back to Malta after the crash.
He has also kindly provided some photographs of the Pembroke Military Cemetary,
where on Friday 10th October 2008 a memorial service was held, officiated by the
Armed Forces of Malta Chaplain Fr. Lawrence Zammit.
Those whose names I have been able to obtain are...
Captain Francis Joseph Boatwright;
A/Sergeant John Michael Hughes (592522)
Sgt Emmanuel Falzon of Naxxar;
Lance-Corporal Nazzareno Portelli of Hamrun;
Lance-Corporal Emanuel Fsadni;
Sapper Francis Galia of Sliema;
Sapper Raphael Avallone of Sliema;
Sapper Salvatore Lia of Qormi;
Sapper Paul Cilia of Hamrun;
Sapper Carmelo Tabone of Birkirkara.
Two men died of their injuries on 11th October...
Warrant Officer II Edwin H.Harrison of Sliema;
Sapper Joseph Psaila of Hamrun.
Three severely injured men were flown to the Hospital at R.A.F. Halton...
Sapper Nazzareno Busuttil of Hamrun died on 15th October;
Corporal Nazzareno Sammut of Qrendi died on 31st October;
Sapper Duca of Ghaxaq.
Four men are buried in cemeteries elsewhere in Malta.
I am hoping that Noel will be able to obtain some comment from his Father (Sapper John Cutajar).
Hi Don
Just to add some information which I got recently:
In the 60's Malta was largely controlled by the Catholic Church and this
means the way you think, political affiliation etc. Your social life is
controlled by the Church. It is like being in Iran.
Unfortunately, the Church was in dispute with the Malta Labour Party and members of the
party were considered to be living in sin.
This means that if you are a
Labourite you cannot marry inside the Church, you cannot be buried in a
Catholic cemetery.
We have an expression in Maltese which is
"il-Mizbla". This literally means - the rubbish dump. A part of the
cemetery was reserved for such persons who were not Catholic. It does
not mean that they were buried in a rubbish dump but it was a place were
it was not blessed by the rites of the Church.
Now those who were buried in the Pembroke Military Cemetry were all
Labour supporters and thus denied a place to be buried in a Catholic
cemetery. There was a Parish Priest in Naxxar who denied the family of
Sgt. Falzon to have his body inside the Church. It was thanks to the
intervention of the British Military services that gave them the space
to be buried in such place.
This is what I call a Christian thought...they were denied their loved
ones as a result of them being killed in the air-crash and to be further
insulted by the Church.
No other monuments can be found on the island to
commemorate them except the one found in the cemetery.
Here is a recent article on this issue
Times of Malta
May they rest in peace.
Noel
Hastings Crash El Adem 1961
My memory of the crash was that I was with a party of RAF Germany personnel who in possibly September or October of 1961 arrived at night at RAF El Adem in an RAF Transport Command Hastings aircraft from Abingdon on an "Expedition training scheme" in Marsa Susa on Libya's Mediterranean coast.
On arrival we passed a party of Maltese Royal Engineers who boarded coaches to take them to their Hastings aircraft for the flight back to Malta after a training exercise in Libya.
As our arrival was being processed we heard the crash alarm and looking out of the building saw the flames of the Maltese soldiers' Hastings aircraft on the airfield which had crashed and caught fire on take off.
I believe there were 13 fatalities and seem to remember a story circulating shortly afterwards that the fatalities were allegedly the first passengers ever lost by Transport Command.
It was also said that the aircraft broke into two on crashing and that the passengers in the severed tail section were trapped by flames being fed by fuel from the ruptured wing tanks.
Another story circulating was that the aircraft's Air Quartermaster, who was initially thrown clear of the aircraft, lost his life in attempting to rescue passengers from the burning tail section.
Dennis Turner
Webmaster: Hastings WD498, 10th October, 17 fatalities of 37 people. The cause was the pilot's seat sliding back during take off.
Hello Dennis
I thank you for this vital information.
I was in the CRDF (Cathode Ray Direction Finder) hut at the time and saw the same view that you did but from the opposite direction.
I had to stand guard duty on the wreck overnight, which was horrific. There was no centre section of the aircraft left as I recall.
The aircraft had veered off the side of the runway.
Not wishing to be offensive...
the smell I remember was the mixture of fuel and burnt flesh. On the ground, the next morning we thought that we were looking at leather gloves at first.
I can't imagine what it must be like to be trying to escape fire.
Regards
Don Simmonds (Webmaster)
Hello Don
I also remember the smell as we had to have a medical check in Station Sick Quarters the following day and also when we returned from Marsa Susa
and the smell of burnt flesh was still hanging over the place ten days later.
Regards
Dennis Turner
Hi Don
I was also in Tobruk when the plane crashed, it was the end of one the many large 'exercises' that were
held in the area and the maltese were going home, they had all been buying presents for their children
and families, there was to have been a party that night but of course that was then out of the question.
I knew many of the men who had the horrific job of rescuing those who were alive and then remove
the poor unfortunates that died.
Both camps, Tobruk and El Adem were very subdued for a long time afterwards, as they say 'there but for the Grace of God...'
Trish Dawson
I remember the crash very well I was with Cyprus Park Squadron R.E. inTobruk at the time and was about to return to Cyprus after the exercise by l.s.t when
we were told about the crash and told not to say any thing to the other half of the maltese detachment who were still waiting to go up to el adem as many
of them were closely related.
I had served with many of these lads before on a road building project in Cyprus in may of 1961 which was also my twenty first birthday,
I also remember sgt Falzon clearly because he wanted to drive my bulldozer (not allowed)
This is the first time I have seen any mention of
this horrific crash what is now 47 years ago and all I can say to any survivors, friends and relatives, I still remember them.
Dave Cass ex sapper R.E.
DON
I laid awake last night and thought about it and have written an after thought which may also be included if needed.
I am now retired in Cyprus (not that far) and would welcome any one from that time to come over and of course stay with us for a holiday.
...
In addition to my email yesterday on the hastings crash, I remember their O.C.s driver Spr Dabouno, I don't know if this is the
correct spelling, who was not on the first flight, and identifided the bodies at El Adem.
Also when the unit was in Cyprus
the road project was the road down to Episkopi beach for the commander Cyprus and at the top of the road a stone was carved
with the unit name and date, I don't know if it is still there because its not possible to go there any more.
Dave Cass
Hi
I feel that I should let you know my experience at El-Adem on the night of 10/10/61.
Johnny Rogers & myself had just left the Photographic Club & started to walk back to Campbell block.
All at once we noticed a big fire on the south side of the main runway, very soon emergency vehicles were racing towards the fire which was approx 2/3 of the way up the runway.
As we approached we realised it was a Hastings on fire & the fire tenders were working flat out but having little effect on the blazing inferno.
John & I could move no closer than about 70 yards because of the intense heat, all we could do was to watch in horror to the utter destruction & loss of life in front of us.
Having just left the Photographic Club I had my Camera with me, with a few shots left on the film, instinctively I took about four shots of the scene, only to have my Camera confiscated by one of the RAF Police present.
Johnny & myself returned to the block sadly in disbelief of the horrific events we had witnessed. The Hastings went out of control as it was lifting off, with many passengers on board and a full fuel load, one wing hit the runway the aircraft spun around throwing fuel everywhere ending up on the side of the runway
A day or so later I was told to report to the Station Commanders Office in HQ, where I received a reprimand for taking photographs of a service aircraft without permission and a commendation for using my initiative in photographing the fire, which may give details to assist an enquiry into the crash.
My tour at El-Adem was only eighteen months but was highly eventful & often tragic.
Regards
R Max Morris
Hi
Thank you for the quick reply, yes certainly you can publish it & hope it may encourage more people to share their experiences at El-Adem. I do have many stories from my time there but they are a liitle frayed around the edges as time goes by.
Best Regards
R Max Morris
Have a good Chtistmas
I was stationed at RAF El Adem from 1961 to 1963 and well remember the accident.
I was sat in the NAAFI with fellow members of the MT Section when the message came about the crash,
and all off duty personnel report to Air Movements and await Instructions, we were just piling out
the door when an off duty member of the Fire section told us it was only a practice using waste oil and we all
sat down again!.Then an Officer told everybody to immediately report to the airfield.
My memories are of burning Maltese soldiers attempting to turn on the taps of the water tankers feeding the
fire trucks pumping foam.later on we formed human chains walking down the runway to clear debris so Aircraft from Cyprus bringing a medical team could land.
I finished the night driving an Austin crash Ambulance taking bodies to the makeshift morgue set up in the gym.
I was then detailed to drive a coach to Tobruk to pick up living out personnel. The first passenger to board the bus was a Flt.Sgt.
Airframe fitter who had the previous evening been i/c of the TASF shift (Transit Aircraft Servicing Flt)
He started to rollock me for being scruffy and failing to wear my beret,he had no knowledge of the accident and was visibly shaken when told him what had happened.
Fred McKeon
I was one of the first RAF Fireman to attend this accident. I would like to say that the Fire Service was
at the Hasting's fire within five mins and not in the Station cinema at this time .The Airfield Crash Crew
was manned 24 hours a day on the airfield next to Air Traffic Control. I was only 20 years old but will
never forget that night or the people that lost their lives
JOHN White Ex-RAF
Hello again Don,
yes you can put my email on your website if you wish. I was about 22 then and now 70, time flies.I have many
memories of El Adem, I was one of the 3 year National Service men.
After demob in Feb 1962 joining International Aeradio was promptly sent back to Benghazi airport Benina,
I did another 3 years there. As one of the other airmen mentioned I remember the "strike" an interesting time,
very unhappy for many young men.
I think it was you who mentioned CRDF, that was my baby I liked to watch aircraft
simulating radar failure and coming in "Blind" right to the edge and perfectly in line with the runway.That was job
satisfaction.
The day of the Hastings crash I had just landed in Malta for some leave and heard the terrible news.
Apparently the pin adjusting the pilots seat snapped and the plane came to earth from about 50 feet up.
All was well except that the fuel tanks burst and there were naked flame goosenecks emergency runway lighting
either side of the runway and you know the rest.
My brother in law was in the Astra cinema queue and saw the pall
of smoke as it happened. I married my RAF buddies' sister after demob, we are still married. I started work at
Benina airport in 1963 and just a week before a Hawker Hunter had ploughed into the ground on the airport, he was
doing about 400 knots about 100 feet up (beating up the airport) when he must have pushed the stick the wrong way.
All that was left was a lump of metal the size of a dustbin in a sizeable crater. Back at El Adem I spent some
time with the Desert Rescue Team, radio call sign "Echo Bravo 8 Sierra", that was quite good fun. went to Giarabub
and stayed in the fort there overnight before coming back.I could go on but a lot you will already know.
I did visit the Mural at Bardia which I thought very sad.
My best wishes to all. Many thanks for doing such a good job. Whilst we were there at the same time I am
sorry but you will have to remind me if we knew each other.
Take care
Rex (Cpl Williams). Any emails welcome.
Hi Don
I should have been on that plane (1961) which was going to Malta but changed my mind that morning and went to Cyprus instead.
I was mates with some airmovements guys so it was easy to do. I had 2 weeks in Cyprus which was great.
26 years later on honeymoon my wife and I took a shortcut from the beach in Malta and pass a large cemetery where
we saw the mass grave of those soldiers. like us all, it was a close shave we all have with fate, I only change planes on a whim,
I love my time at El Adem but I was very young 19 who looked 15.
best regards
Michael Mayers 1961-1962.
Dear Don,
Further to the e-mail from Suzanne Russo about her father Sgt Hughes. The following might be useful unless she already is aware of it.
His service no 592522 tells me he was one of 40+ boys between 15 and 17 who were the 12th Entry of Administrative Apprentices who joined the RAF in 1951 at RAF St Athan.
The apprentices have a very active old boys association. Their website is www.rafadappassn.org
On the site go to Entry Scrapbook, 12th Entry and there is a picture of her father sitting on a Spitfire whilst at St Athan.
He is probably on several other photos but no names are listed.
I hope this info might be useful to Suzanne.
Peter Follett
Hello Suzanne
I may have good news for you.
I have a member of the operating crew of the WD498 who remembers your father.
He would like to communicate privately with you, but I have a policy of not releasing any contact information unless both parties are agreeable.
I hope this may prove to be something really interesting for you.
Please let me know.
Regards
Don Simmonds
Note: This went ahead.
Many years have past since the event and my memory has faded a little.
At the time I was a Cpl rigger with 70 Sqn at Nicosia. I stand to be corrected on the following course of events.
WD498 was on the strength of 70 sqn at the time having recently arrived after a Major overhaul in the UK.
This particular aircraft, at Nicosia, was the only one fitted with external wing fuel tanks.
We had prepared the aircraft for a paratrooping role prior to its leaving for El Adem.
Obviously, when we heard that the aircraft had crashed everybody starts to worry.
However, the following day we had an urgent signal to the effect that all the holes in the seat adjustment
rails were to be checked to ensure that the seat locking pins were engaging correctly.
As far as I can recollect it had been discovered that the seat rails had been replaced on major overhaul and
that some of the seat locking pins would not engage freely. The pilot on the flight was rather short and I guess
would have had the seat in a forward position. (Perhaps not used very often).
From what we learned later, on take-off, the seat had slid fully aft just as he became airborne causing the pilot
to pull back on the control column, which stalled the aircraft. This caused the overload wing tanks to rupture as the
aircraft hit the runway, the fuel then being ignited by the runway goose neck flares.
Regards
Mike Dawdry
