Air crew who helped rescue their colleagues from the wreckage of a crashed Hercules are among three RAF Lyneham staff to be given bravery awards from the Queen.

Lieutenant Simon Cree was the co-pilot and Flight Sergeant Piers Wakeham the air loadmaster on the aircraft when it crashed in flames at night during the Kosovo conflict.

The aircraft's cargo of ammunition and vehicles exploded after the impact in darkness on a dirt airstrip in Kukes, Albania.

The pair, both members of Number 47 Squadron, were among seven members of crew on board the plane in June last year.

Lt Cree freed the captain of the Hercules from wreckage that had trapped him in his seat.

He then managed to climb out of a flight deck window and started to drag the captain and two other crew members out of the aircraft.

Flt Sgt Wakeham, meanwhile, realised that only two of the seven passengers had escaped and returned to the burning wreck to help the others out.

The pair stayed on the scene to give first aid to the survivors, despite the threat posed by burning fuel and exploding ammunition.

They were given Queen's Commendations for Bravery in the Air for their role in the rescue. Citations stated that bothshowed gallantry and bravery and a complete disregard for their own safety to help others.

Corporal Darren Smith, an RAF Lyneham engineer, was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery as a result of his life-saving efforts when on holiday in Crete in 1998.

Three times he put his own life at risk to try to save other swimmers. On the first occasion, while on an organised boat trip, he dived in to rescue a weak swimmer when he disappeared beneath the surface of the sea.

Three days later Corporal Smith swam out to two distressed swimmers who were caught in a heavy riptide and unable to reach the shore. Darren swam out to them and held them above the surface while walking on the seabed and coming up for occasional breaths. He carried them the 30 feet to safety.

Two days after that Darren swam out to locate a missing swimmer in a heavy 12 foot swell.

After 25 minutes treading water he found the swimmer and administered emergency resuscitation.

He then spent 20 minutes towing him to the shore, only stopping to try to restore his breathing. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the swimmer died.

Corporal Smith, a single man, was awarded his Queen's Commendation for exceptional courage.

and complete disregard for his own personal safety on three separate occasions.