John Marshall HOLLIDAY

John Marshall HOLLIDAY. Leading Aircraftsman, 4425984, Royal Air Force, aged 20 years. On Saturday, 18th February 1956, a four engined Avro York aircraft, G-ANSY, belonging to Scottish Airlines crashed near Zurrieq. It had been chartered by the Royal Air Force and was being used to carry troops from Suez in Egypt, to the U.K., with a stop-over in Malta. Born 6th October 1935, from Worcester, son of Harold M and Heddfron, nee Price. At rest in Plot 3. Row 3. Grave 18. Imtarfa Military Cemetery, Malta.

As the plane took off, the air traffic controllers at Luqa airport saw smoke coming from one of the engines, and informed the pilot, Captain Frank Coker, immediately. The plane appeared to climb to around 1,000 feet before going into a dive and crashing into the ground.

As it was loaded with around 2,000 gallons of high octane aviation fuel, the plane exploded on impact and was engulfed by flames. The men on board numbered a crew of five, with 45 passengers, all RAF personnel except one Army Private. When the rescue services arrived at the scene it was clear that there were no survivors. The bodies of the co-pilot, navigator, radio officer and an air hostess were taken to the U.K. for burial. All the others are here in Imtarfa.