Lancaster JA961 at Melbourne airfield.

On the night of 26th / 27th November 1943 the crew of this 50 Squadron aircraft took off from Skellingthorpe airfield at 17.14hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Berlin. On their return to the UK thick fog over Northern England was effecting flying and numerous Lincolnshire-based squadrons instructed their returning aircraft to divert north to land in Yorkshire following a few crashes to aircraft around midnight in Lincolnshire. The visibility over Yorkshire was not much better and a number of Lancasters would crash before they could land including at least three from 50 Squadron. The crew of Lancaster JA961 were diverted to land at Melbourne and they managed to get the aircraft onto the ground at 01.45hrs but the aircraft either missed or left the runway and as it slowed down or taxied around the airfield it had left the concrete and became bogged down. The crew probably vacated the aircraft leaving it empty. Shortly afterwards another 50 Squadron Lancaster DV377 landed at Melbourne but appears to have completely missed the runway in use, it ran over an RAF van, killing the driver, and then smashed into Lancaster JA961. The van was destroyed while both Lancasters were badly damaged and after inspection they would be written off. The driver of the RAF van was remarkably the only casualty. The crew of JA961 were as listed below but the aircraft was probably not occupied at the time of the collision.

Melbourne's runways would get fitted with the F.I.D.O. (Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation) later in the war. FIDO was basically a long line of pipes with burner vents, oil inside the pipes was ignited at the vents and in theory the heat given off would disperse the fog above the flames, and as a consequence, the runways. The events of 27th November 1943 may have been a factor if one of the main Bomber Command airfields in Yorkshire being equipped with it.

Pilot - P/O Douglas Reginald Toovey RAAF (416632).

Second Pilot - Sgt J R Smith.

? - F/O Robert Geoffrey Cooper Pagett RAFVR (141550).

? - Sgt J Olsson.

? - Sgt William James Kelbrick (1034125).

Air Gunner - Sgt J P Flynn RAFVR.

? - Sgt J B Knight (Possibly John Bernard Knight RAFVR (1090507)).

Douglas Toovey was awarded the DFC for service with 50 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th February 1944. He was also awarded the Bar to the DFC, Gazetted on 3rd March 1944. The citation was a detailed one and reads.. "One night in January 1944, this officer was the pilot of an aircraft detailed to attack Magdeburg. When some 50 miles from the target one of the starboard engines caught fire and became useless. In spite of this Pilot Officer Toovey continued to the target which he bombed successfully. On the return flight the aircraft gradually lost height and was hit by anti-aircraft fire, sustaining damage to the port flap. Nevertheless, Pilot Officer Toovey flew on to base where he effected a safe landing. This officer has completed a large number of sorties, including 6 attacks on the German capital, and has invariably displayed a high degree of courage and determination."
Robert Pagett received a commission on 6th April 1943 and rose to F/O six months later. He was also awarded the DFC for service with 50 Squadron, Gazetted on 2nd June 1944.
William Kelbrick received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 18th July 1944 and rose to F/O six months later. He served in 9 Squadron before the end of the war and remained in the RAF until 1949. He would later be an active member of the 50 Squadron Association.
Sgt's Flynn and Knight may have later received postings to 97 Squadron, with John Knight being killed flying with 97 Squadron in June 1944.

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