It's 48 years ago today, IIRC.

Sam Smith and Jack Canham were at the end of their tours and Jack had won his DFC as a W/O navigator in Bomber Command. After the war he went to the search teams trying to find all those killed in Europe. A very strange situation is that the officer appointed to look after Jack's affairs had lost his own father over Germany. There is a chance that Jack helped with locating this man's father's remains and in turn, the young officer was able to help sort out Jack's affairs, although at the time neither would have realised this.

Old Duffer

Flew a lot with Jack Canham at Thorney on 22 including a winching demo for the Queen at a Transport(Support) Command celebration held there. One of the best people to be 'on the switch' when you were 'on the wire' - as he proved, looking after Eric Smith in the Jeanne Gougy rescue.
The really sad thing about his demise was that he was close to retirement, had settled in Farnham(?) and, when told of the Borneo posting, was sufficiently p'd off to PVR. Ah yes, said the 'caring' Ministry, PVR to take effect AFTER completing the Borneo posting - not unusual but it seemed to me that, given his record of service, something better should have resulted. Very sad for all involved.

Old memories.
 

There is a photo of XP327 on the blog of Dave Ashpole at





http://www.ashpole.org.uk/225-squadron-raf/





I remember the unfortunate incident.

On 25 September last, a group of about 15 of us assembled at the Armed Forces memorial at Alrewas to pay our respects to the five lost on XP327 and the two who were lost a couple of months later, shot down south of Stass.

The names were read, a wreath laid and a flyover courtesy of DHFS, together with Last Post and Reveille from a trumpeter from the local ATC squadron.

A fitting tribute but we were unable to trace the families of those lost, although I had an email address for Paul Evans fiancee.

Old Duffer

Re. Ricky Galbraith
 

Ricky Galbraith was a Senior Aircraftman Ground Wireless Mechanic based at the Ground Radio Section at RAF Kuching, his usual role would be maintenance of the ATC radio receivers and communications systems in the control tower and nav aids on the airfield, i.e. CADF. Another duty was to deliver rations and mail to the remote transmitter station at Batu Kitang where six of us looked after the HF, VHF and UHF transmitters used by ATC and Operations. If I recall correctly these ration runs were every couple of days, and could cause great concern if they were late!
On the day of the accident he was on a day off and volunteered to go as a lookout in the search for the Army Scout helicopter, my understanding is that the Scout was ferrying an Indonesian prisoner back to Kuching for interrogation when it went missing.
Some years ago on the National Malaya and Borneo Veterans Association website there was a request from Ricky's brother asking if anyone knew the whereabouts of his widow and child. I never saw a response and still wonder if they managed to make contact.
I am a Volunteer at the National Memorial Arboretum and when on duty make a point of going to see his name and pay my respects to Ricky and other colleagues on the walls of the Armed Forces Memorial. RIP.

Update 20 September 2017: I'm hoping to visit Singapore and Kranji in January 2018. I can't find a reference to Ricky Galbraith's grave. Can anyone help?

Hi, have you any pics of Galbraith, this is my friends dad, she was one when he died pls

Whirlwind Crash
 

Here's my pic of Sam Smith, the pilot of the subject aircraft. He had spent some time in Simanggang, which is where I met him, before he returned to Kuching. One helluva nice guy.

My daughter sent me your post as I am the brother of Flying Officer Sam Smith.
 

Very interesting to know about the tribute at Alrewas. Please contact me for further information. My e.mail is: [email protected]. Regards Ian Smith

Sorry I have no pics of Ricky, but I would also appreciate one. At seventy the memory cells are beginning to dull a little but the name of Ricky Galbraith has always stayed with me. We first met when we arrived for our departure point in the uk leaving for Kuching. We had the same background ground comms even our service numbers were not that far apart and only three months separated us in age. So what made him stick in my mind for so long, well apart from his tragic death he was just a really nice person. He really missed his family and forgive me if I'm wrong but the names June and April come to mind and they lived in Liverpool. His death was more tragic as he just volunteered for the experience and it came as terrible shock to all that worked with him. I'm sorry I cant add anymore but I wish all his family well

Do you have details of Ricky Galbraith's grave at Kranji? I'm hoping to find it next January when in Singapore.

251,

As Sycamore says, send him a private message and he will respond.

I recall that those who were laid to rest in Singapore were first buried in a civilian church but development meant that the graves had to be moved and families were given a number of options, one of which was a move to Kranji.

One interesting and perhaps comforting fact about Kranji is that it is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission site and benefits from the standards of that organisation. Some graves in 'ordinary' cemeteries are not always as well maintained.

Old Duffer

S251, if you go to the `nmbva` site and hunt down,eventually you find a listing of where burials took place,then about 1975 ,various locations changed,abd bodies reburied,cremated or repatriated.F/O Smith and SAC Evans were buried in Kranji.F/L Canham ,SACs Langley and Galbraith were either repatriated,exhumed/cremated ,but no date specified when this happened.Hunt around for page 87 on the Roll of Honour.Sorry,but can`t help further,but the CWGC may be able to tell you more info.

I may have been the 4th man who you refer to his Chiefy, refusing to let them both go. Ricky and I were in the Ground Radio shack, next to the runway and in came a chap asking for volunteers to fly as lookouts. Naturally, Ricky and I put our hands up, but the Chief Tech came from his office and said that Ricky, but not I could go. That day has never left me. Apologies for the late entry.

I went up to Simangang for 3 months, as the Ground Radio Mech, after the incident. I spent much of my spare time, flying in the Whirlwinds and Army Bell helicopters.

Rod

The mention of 'Wiki', in one of the posts above, prompted me to check their entry for this incident. It shocked me to the core - containing the most appalling mis-attribution of blame being made against Jack Canham. I made an appropriate amendment but I cannot understand how anybody could have penned the original. My concerns were, obviously for all the lives lost but, having worked with Jack, and knowing the background reasons for his presence there, it was more personal.

sycamore - I have attempted a reply to your PM, but I have no great confidence in the PM system !
Please advise if nothing received.

CJ, pm received....Thanks..