Accident Report
Light from the Epitaphs
"THEY SAY I MAY HAVE NO WARNING
I MAY NOT EVEN HEAR
THE RUSTLING OF HIS GARMENT
AS HE SOFTLY DRAWETH NEAR
SUDDENLY IN A MOMENT
UPON MY EAR MAY FALL
THE SUMMONS TO LEAVE THIS CLOUD-LAND
TO ANSWER THE MASTERS CALL"
Throughout my long years of research into aircraft acci¬dents which occurred from the first day man took to flight on this Island, I criss-crossed several aerial tragedies that were either not reported by the local dailies of the day or went unrecorded later and have been forgotten. The only clue to the researcher that an air tragedy had happened lies with the epitaphs on the graves ...
At ten in the morning of Monday 25 April 1932, Blackburn Ripon S1265 (numbered 75) of 460 Flight, Fleet Air Arm, took off from Royal Naval Air Station Hal Far on a routine navigation training flight. It flew along the West coast towards the small¬er island of Gozo. The two crew members aboard the two-seat naval Ripon aircraft were, twenty three year-old Flying Officer Paul Leslie Irven RN, (Flight instructor), and eighteen year-old Midshipman Archibald Hamilton RN, of HMS Resolution. The latter was temporarily embarked on the carrier Glorious for a short course of instruction in aerial navigation.
One and a half hours into the flight, the Napier Lion engine of the Ripon failed. The machine was ditched about three quarters of a mile off 'Ras il-Pellegrin', limits of Gnejna bay and capsized. The two airmen managed to un-strap themselves of their submerged cockpits and make it to the surface of the cold water. On surfacing Irvin noticed that his passenger had drift¬ed apart from him. Without hesitation, he let go of his grip, swam in rough seas, grabbed Hamilton and towed him back towards the floating machine. They both then held as best as they could to the machine as it bobbed up and down in high waves, whilst calling out for help in desperation.
When the aircraft's engine had failed, John Portelli, a farmer, had been tending his fields at 'Ghajn Bierda', limits of Bahrija. His attention had been attracted by the sudden silence of the engine, and when he saw the aircraft descend behind the cliffs and fail to come up in a climb, he called some friends and ran towards the cliff's edge from where they would surely have a better view of the sea. Arriving there, they saw both airmen holding to a wing tip an'd noticed they were drifting slowly towards shore. The wreckage remained afloat about thirty yards from the shore until it sank at around 2.30 p.m.
The rescuers at the top of the cliff, threw one end of a rope but this was too short. They then dropped some pieces of wood down the cliff's face, for the airmen to hold onto, but this attempt was also in vain. Unable to reach the shore in the heavy surf, the exhausted airmen swam further out expecting rescue to come from that direction. A few minutes later, a plane approached the area, circled overhead and minutes later flew back to the south east towards Hal Far.
Whilst tragedy was unfolding, one of the farmers cycled to Bingemma Fort half a mile away to call for assistance. The sol¬diers on guard duties at the Fort then informed Rabat Police Station, three miles away. On duty Police Inspector Loreto Bonnici, and a number of Policemen raced to the area with res¬cue equipment and arrived on scene at around 3.15 p.m. Unfortunately, they could not be of any assistance, as by the time they arrived, the two men were far out at sea and their only hope laid with a boat coming to their rescue.
It took another three quarter of an hour for His Majesty's destroyer Vimiera to arrive on scene. Furthermore, it remained at the mouth of 'Fomm ir-rih' bay as the heavy swell made it dif¬ficult to navigate close inshore. A whaler lowered from the side of the ship made in the direction of the two men, the spot being indicated by a circling aircraft (No. 7171) which had arrived only a few minutes earlier. It took the whaler another fifteen min¬utes to reach the two unfortunate individuals. By the time they were hauled aboard they were dead through severe exhaus¬tion. The corpses were taken to Bighi Naval Hospital. Lt. Irvin and Midshipman Hamilton were buried at the nearby Capucini Naval Cemetery with full Military Honours.
'THE SMILING EYES SHALL SMILE ON US NO MORE
THE LAUGHTER CLEAR
TOO FAR AWAY ON THE FORBIDDEN SHORE
WE SHALL NOT HEAR'
Today the epitaphs on their graves are the only witness to youthful life brought abruptly to a tragic end. The gravestones may have weathered but the epitaphs still register the emotion. Like a candle they shed a flickering light onto the story of brave airman. The above is only one of several such dear losses for¬gotten through the span of time.
.... AND WITH THE RISING OF THE SUN
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.