Halifax Crash Malta 17 Dec 1942
 

An elderly veteran who lives along the lane from me has asked if I can find out more about an aircraft that crashed on landing on Malta in Dec 1942. It was a routine Malta to Gib shuttle and one of the passengers was Lord Apsley from Cirencester who at the time was Colonel of the Arab Legion stationed in Malta. It is known that the Halifax suffered Engine problems and turned back after take off, sadly crashing on landing with total loss of life. The question I have been asked is which Squadron was it from and the pilots name. I suspect that the question is being asked as his father commanded a transport squadron in the middle east around then. I'm sure that someone out there can help.

Looks like this one:
17.12.1942 138 Squadron Halifax II DT542 NF:Q Fg Off. DobromirskI

Many thanks, I will pass it on. His father commanded 70 Sqn so it wasn't one of his which is just as well as he personally knows the present Lord Bathurst (Grandson) and Lord Apsley (Great Gandson)

This aircraft was in fact on route to the UK, possibly to Tempsford.
It had originally come from Cairo.
All the early marks of Halifax suffered from rudder overbalance and if they stalled after losing an engine
they would go into a spin from which recovery was nigh on impossible, especially at low level.
Leonard Cheshire first realised this, when he noticed no Halifax's coming back on 3 engines.
Might be better if it was posted in Aviation History and Nostalgia,
may get some more responses.