Identified! The Martin Maryland Mk. II, crashed on 25 May 1941 in Crete.
Aircraft wrecks, Photo gallery, WW2, WW2 in Greece, WW2 WrecksBy Pierre Kosmidis
Research and documentation: and
Photos: ECPAD
Previously unpublished photos of a crashed aircraft, with German soldiers inspecting the burned cockpit area, possibly by her own crew, as was standard procedure, were successfully identified, thanks to two respected researchers and .
Looking at two photos of the crashed aircraft, the two experts managed to find all related information and her crew’s Odyssey to Egypt.
According to, the ww2 wreck is a Maryland Mk. II, serial number 1608 (AH304), serving with 24 SAAF Sqn, which crashed on May 25, 1941, in Crete.
added the following information:
25 May 1941
Unit: 24 Sqn SAAF
Aircraft: Maryland II 1608 ex-RAF AH304
Crew:
Lt. E. Ford SAAF PoW
2/Lt. G.L.W. Gill SAAF +
Sgt. D.D. McWilliam SAAF Evaded
Sgt. T.O. Muller SAAF Evaded
Operation: Maleme
Took off LG16 (Fuka satellite), to attack Luftwaffe troop transports at Maleme airfield.
Attacked by fighters and crash-landed Tymbaki.
Unhurt the crew joined 71 other officers and men in trying to escape from Crete in a repaired landing craft.
They were stopped at sea by an Italian submarine and the officers were told to swim aboard it. While doing so 2/Lt. G.L.W. Gill drowned.
The others were instructed to return to shore, but led by Sgt. Mc William, who navigated with a 2-inch prismatic compass, they made it to Egypt, reaching Mersa Matruh three days later.
For this Sgt. Mc William was mentioned in despatches. 2/Lt. G.L.W. Gill commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.
