Malta

The Memorial

Wellington X, LN301, 70 Squadron, failed to return from a raid on Ciampino airfield, 22.11.1943, having taken off from Djedeida North landing ground, 15 miles north west of Tunis, at 1712 hours.   

LN301 contacted base at 21.44 and at 22.29, requesting a bearing and course for the return journey.

Nothing further was received from the crew apart from an identification message believed to come from LN301 at 23.15.

With no known grave, the crew are commemorated on the Malta War memorial.

Crew: 

Flt Sgt John Arthur Buckman 422401 RAAF, age: 26, air gunner

Flt Sgt Ian Lovat Fraser420178 RAAF, age: 31, 2nd pilot

Flt Sgt Geoffrey Gordon Gillett 415779 RAAF, age: 32, wireless operator/air gunner

Sgt William Brown Hamilton 1444393 RAFVR , navigator

Flt Sgt John Ralph MacLeod 413883 RAAF, age: 27, pilot

Flt Sgt John Francis Madden 422648 RAAF, age: 23, observer

In 2013, Lyall Gillett visited the Malta War Memorial with his wife, Gail, in honour of his father, Flt Sgt Geoffrey Gordon Gillett.

As he says, there must be  . ."a lot of stories behind the names on those bronze plates.  It was quite a moving experience for us, also for a visiting English family with some elderly members who watched our little ceremony."

We are very grateful to Gail and Lyall for giving permission to post photographs of their visit.

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