Wilfred MORRIS

At rest in Imtarfa Military Cemetery, Malta in Plot 3 Row 1 Grave 11A

MORRIS WILFRED. Sergeant 1813101, Royal Air Force, died stationed at RAF Luqa. Born 18th February 1918 died 31st December 1952, aged 36 years


He was part of a three man crew of a Lancaster 37 Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron crashed at Luqa on 30th December 1952. The crew were all Royal Air Force Sergeants, one was killed instantly in the crash, and two others later died in hospital from their injuries. The accident happened mid morning during local flying and landing exercises. The Lancaster took off from the airfield with its port inner engine cutting out intermittently. On the take off run the faulty engine is believed to have cut completely.
The pilot attempted to bring his aircraft round on 3 engines to land again but the Lancaster by now was flying beneath its minimum safety height and came down on Luqa village. It crashed in a giant cartwheel across St. George's Street, Luqa, into three houses going up in a sheet of flame as it finally crashed into a row of back gardens.
The three men who lost their lives were Sergeant Wilfred Morris, Sergeant 582610 Geoffrey Charles Glanville and Sergeant John Crawford Logan. The Sergeants Morris and Glanville were buried in Imtarfa Military cemetery and the body of Sergeant Logan was taken back to England.

Sergeant 4050737 John Crawford Logan born 18th November 1931 and died at the scene on the 30th December 1952. He is at rest in New Cemetery,Pencaitland, East Lothian