A casual conversation with an elderly stranger turned into a deeply emotional mission for Maltese-Australian Frank Cauchi, who was tasked with delivering to Malta a set of 69-year-old photographs of the war-torn island.

While walking in Miranda, his Australian hometown, the 57-year-old saw an old man closing his letterbox after finding it empty.

“No news is good news,” Mr Cauchi remarked.

“We started talking and that is how I met Tom Russell – the last survivor of a group of 22 Australian pilots who fought the Germans during World War II,” he said.

As soon as Mr Russell, 95, found out that Mr Cauchi had been born in Malta, he burst into tears.

The former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilot wanted to give a set of 380 photographs, taken by his colleague Laurence Le Guay during their six-month stint on the island in 1943, to the Malta Aviation Museum.

He requested copies of the photographs from the Australian War Memorial and handed them to Mr Cauchi, along with instructions to lay wreaths on the graves of two Australian pilots buried in the Kalkara military cemetery.

Mr Cauchi fulfilled all of Mr Russell’s requests during his four-week stay in Malta – in a trip that he described as “emotional” and “mind-blowing”.

“Meeting the last Australian pilot who was in Malta and the fact that he chose me was very emotional and very tough – I felt a great sense of responsibility for what I had to do,” he said.

And how did Mr Russell know he had chosen the right man for the mission?

“He tested me – before I left he called me and said he was giving me his wings, to do with as I pleased.”

Mr Cauchi felt there was no way he could keep them and told Mr Russell that he would pass them on to the aviation museum in Ta’ Qali.

“That’s the right answer,” Mr Russell told him.

“Tom’s last wish is to come to Malta but we are having problems because no insurance company wants to cover him due to his age.

“However, I will find a way,” Mr Cauchi said resolutely.