Suez Canal News  

 

WITHOUT THE PAST THERE IS NO FUTURE                        

 

THE parents of a young British airman kidnapped by Egyptians in the Canal Zone leame-d at the weekend that hopes for his safe return are fading.

It was three months ago, on April 18, 1953 that a 20-year-old Leading Aircraftsman, Derek Stainton, of Haversham Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, drove an RAF passenger coach from Royal Air Force Station Abu Sueir to collect Egyptian workers from Ismailia, eignt miles away.

 

No trace has been found since then of Stainton or the coach. Only one message of hope has come to Derek's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stainton from his girl friend, Senior Aircraftswoman Anne Price, of Chester who is stationed at Abu Sueir. She wrote: "I think he will come back."

 

 

A letter from the Air Ministry told Mr. and Mrs. Stainton that the case has been taken up with the Egyptians II at the very highest military and diplomatic levels."  

But Stainton's CO, Group­Captain W. Hanaford, wrote:

 

"Every thing humanly possible has been done to trace him, but as the days pass the hope of ,our son's safe return grows less.

Group-Captain Hanaford said that he had personally searched a large area of the desert from the air at the time, but could find no trace of the missing coach.

He went on: "Though armed himself, Stainton did not take an armed escort as laid down in Standing Orders.

 

NEAR CAMP

"The coach was seen not far from the camp with Stainton at the wheel and four men in what appeared to be blue Air Force uniforms sitting near him.

 

II A second witness recognised Stainton and confirmed the pres­ence of the four men in blue.

"We are now wearing khaki, and it is assumed that the four men were members of the Egyptian Air Force."

 

 

 

..

 

There is still no news about another kidnapped airman, 20­year old Leading Aircraftsman Antony Rigden, abducted from an Ismailia hotel last Thursday week.

 

 

First printed in the Daily Herald, July 20, 1953

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MURDER AMID THE PALMS

 

 

ISMAILIA (Suez Canal Zone) Sunday, May 15th. Aircraftsman T. Murray, aged 20, was found murdered in a clump of palm trees yesterday morning, between the Canal Zone city of Ismailia and Fayid, where he was sta­tioned.

He was on his way back to Fayid from a shopping expedi­tion to Ismailia in CIvilian clothes.

In London, an Air Ministry spokesman said Aircraftsman Murray had suffered gunshot wounds in the back. There was reason to believe he was killed by robbers.

 

 

First printed in the Daily Herald, May, 1953

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EDITOR'S NOTE

 

Thanks and acknowledgements are due to Suez Veteran, Cyril Blackbum who provided much of the material contained in this edition of Suez Canal News.

During his wide-ranging re­searches in furtherance of the Suez General Service Medal Campaign, Mr. Blackbum dis­coverd some disturbing facts.

 

In addition to LAC Stainton (see above) there are three other members of the Royal Air Force who disappeared and are pre­sumed dead whilst serving in the Canal Zone 

 

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