Halifax LV863 at Melbourne airfield.
During the early hours of 28th April 1944 this 10 Squadron aircraft was to have been flown on an operational flight to bomb a railway marshalling yard at Aulnoye, France but on take off from Melbourne airfield at 01.05hrs the aircraft began to swing. This swing was not corrected by the pilot and unfortunately the strain on the undercarriage legs was too great there by causing them to collapse. The aircraft came to rest wih a damaged port mainplane, tail wheel assembly and also the fuselage was damaged. This damage eventually saw the aircraft written off.
Pilot - P/O George Martin Burcher DFM RAAF (420536).
Navigator - F/Lt A MacCauley.
Air Bomber - F/Sgt George Barton Ward RAAF (415562).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt W Donovan.
Air Gunner - Sgt F Ralph.
Flight Engineer - Sgt J W Carr.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt C Mason RCAF (R/184898).