Camiel van Hove EGM (Honorary Award)

b. ?  d. ?

DATE OF EM ACTION: 30/12/1933 near Brussels, Belgium.

EGM

Little is known about one of the four honorary recipients of the Empire Gallantry Medals who didnt qualify to become automatic recipients of the George Cross on its creation in 1940.

EGM CITATION: (not gazetted)

The Imperial Airways Apollo Flight left Haren Aerodrome, near Brussels, Belgium at 12.20pm on 30 December 1933. Heading for London, fog had forced the smallest aircraft in the airway’s fleet north of its normal flightpath and, at 1.15pm it struck an 870ft aerial of a wireless station at Ruysselede in West Flanders. One wing was torn off and the aircraft caught fire after crashing to the ground with the two pilots and eight passengers trapped inside. Workers at the wireless station and villagers tried to save the occupants of the aircraft but were driven back by the flames, one of them, Camiel van Hove, getting into the cabin. He was taken to hospital suffering from severe burns to his face, arms, hands and legs with his life in jeopardy. Clearance of the scene on 31 December was hampered by snow.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.