Halifax JD120 at Melbourne airfield.

On 7th October 1943 this 10 Squadron aircraft bounced on landing at Melbourne airfield at 19.10hrs on return from a cross country training flight. This bounce caused damage to the undercarriage jacks and while the pilot was able to take correct overshoot action, after flying a circuit of the airfield the undercarriage then failed to lower properly and then collapsed on landing. The pilot, Sgt Taylor, was posted in to 10 Squadron from 1658 HCU with his crew on 19th September 1943 but they did not start operationaly flying for a couple of months.

Pilot - Sgt Robert James Taylor RAFVR (1428290).

Rear Gunner - Sgt Alfred James Henry Polmear RAFVR (1835463).

Probable crew...

Navigator - Sgt Ronald Elgin Lark RAFVR (1612699).

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Raymond George Haydon RAFVR (1802456).

Wireless Operator - Sgt Arthur Jack Andrews RAFVR (1382272).

Air Gunner - Sgt John Howard Beech RAFVR (1622782).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Thomas Welding RAFVR (1814040).

Pilot - Sgt Thomas Lawrie RAFVR (1550820).

Ronald Lark, Raymond Haydon and Arthur Andrews received the DFC, while John Beech and Thomas Welding received the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, all Gazetted on 17th October 1944.

Alfred Polmear was awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th October 1944. He later began a second tour with 223 Squadron in 1945 after instructional duties.

I credit Russ Gray with the information shown at the top of this page, Russ once owned Alfred Polmear's logbook which mentions the mishap on 7th October 1943.

Halifax JD120 was awaiting collection on 3rd May 1943 and appears to have been taken on charge by 10 Squadron soon after as a replacement for Halifax DT785 lost on Ops a month earlier. It carried the 10 Squadron coding "ZA-H". JD120 had left 10 Squadron by January 1944 but I have not yet located any further information about the aircraft.

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