F3 ARTHUR TIMOTHY SMITH - burned out wellington bomber in Qormi, Malta
- Extended Description
- F003 ARTHUR TIMOTHY SMITH. Sergeant, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, 968337, Royal Air Force, (VR) He died during the night of 3rd/4th November 1940 aged 20 years when his Wellington aircraft (R1094) lost height soon after take-off from RAF Luqa and crashed onto a house in Dun Mario Street, Qormi, Malta bursting into flames. The front part of the fuselage fell burning into a 40-foot shaft at the bottom of a deep quarry. Moans were heard from the shaft and a wire rope was lowered and the airman grasped it, but after being drawn up he could not hold on and fell back into the shaft. He was rescued by Police Constable Carmel Camilleri; the airman was Arthur Smith. PC Camilleri was awarded the George Medal 1941. Son of Arthur Thomas and Elsie May Smith, of Colchester, Essex.
At rest in Capuccini Naval Cemetery, Malta Plot F Grave 3.
PC CARMEL CAMILLERI AWARDED GEORGE MEDAL
The Malta Government Gazette announced today that Police Constable Carmel Camilleri has been awarded the George Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty. The award citation reads:
Burned out Wellington bomber in Qormi. Scene of PC Camilleri’s bravery at Qormi, Malta “In the early morning of the 4th November 1940, a Royal Air Force aircraft crashed on a house at Qormi, and the front portion of the machine fell into a 40ft shaft at the bottom of a deep quarry beyond the house. Moans were heard coming from the shaft, from which flames were spouting, and an injured airman was observed supporting himself under the vertical edge of the shaft. A wire rope was lowered which the airman grasped, but after being drawn up a few feet he could not maintain his hold and fell back into the shaft. PC Camilleri, who had been one of the first on the scene, immediately volunteered to go down for him, in spite of the flames from the burning aircraft and in disregard of danger from the possible explosion of heavy calibre bombs, and was lowered into the shaft. The rope slipped and he fell to the bottom, fortunately without serious injury. A third rope was lowered to which PC Camilleri tied the injured airman who was then hauled up. The rope was again lowered for Camilleri, who was brought up with no injuries beyond slight burns.”
