A PRINCES Freeway bridge has been named in honour of two young pilots killed in a crash at the site more than 45 years ago.
Flying Officer Samuel Roy Barkley, 23, and navy pilot Sub-Lieutenant Michael Lynch, 21, were killed on October 11, 1967 when their Vampire jet crashed where the Palmers Road bridge now stands. The pilots were based at the Laverton RAAF base during the refitting of HMAS Parramatta and were on a routine flight when their jet’s engine failed on take-off.
The plane hurtled towards Geelong Road, now the Princes Freeway, and Sub-Lieutenant Lynch made a split-second decision to crash the jet into a paddock next to the road, saving the lives of motorists.
Roads Minister Terry Mulder yesterday unveiled the Lynch Barkley Bridge, after a lengthy community campaign to have the pilots honoured.
As reported by the Weekly, the families of the pilots and Footscray’s Sergeant Ian Brown, who was a young constable at the time of the accident, began campaigning in 2008 for the bridge to be renamed. Sergeant Brown said he was pleased the pilots were finally being honoured — “I’m really excited for their families”.
