THEY had fought, they had watched their countrymen die and the survivors were finally on their way home to what should have been a rapturous welcome in their home country.

But in a stroke of bitter irony, Halifax bomber RG 561 did not complete what should have been a comfortable flight back to France.

Just a few miles from York, the four-engined aircraft got into difficulties, lost altitude and crashed into a field.

The war was over, but German and Italian prisoners-of-war were still working the land nearby and they dashed to the scene to give what help they could.

Six men were rescued from the wreck, but pilot Lieutenant Wellard and crewman Sergent Prades had made their last flight - both were killed on impact.

The crash happened 60 years ago, at 11.56am on October 29, 1945, and was the final tragedy in the distinguished history of the French squadrons of Bomber Command, which operated from Elvington, near York.

Now the base is home to the Yorkshire Air Museum and is a permanent memorial to all Allied airmen who died taking the Blitz back to Germany.

The crashed aircraft was from 347 Tunisie Squadron, which was heading to Bordeaux Merignac to re-unite with aircraft and crews from its sister squadron, 346 Guyenne, who had left Elvington on October 20, to form the basis of the new Free French Air Force.

When 346 Squadron departed, the then Chief of Bomber Command, Air Chief Marshal Bottomley, took the salute and addressed all the assembled squadrons in French.

He acknowledged the contribution of both air and ground crews in the liberation of Europe and left them with the words "Au revoir! Vive le France!" ringing in their ears.

With no such send off, it was a subdued 347 Squadron that departed in poor weather nine days later and arrived home in France with hearts heavy at news of RG 561's crash.

The anniversary of the tragedy, which added another two deaths to the 175 Frenchmen lost in action from Elvington, is being remembered by volunteers who run the museum.

It will provide additional poignancy during remembrance services on November 13 at the French memorial that proudly stands at the museum.

The services are being held in conjunction with the French veterans' association, Amicale des Anciens des Groupes Lourdes

And they will echo the words of Air Chief Marshal Bottomley, who said in his address of 60 years ago: "We particularly remember those brave fliers who gave their lives for the Allied cause.

"They died for France, and not only for France but also for all the Allied nations who suffered oppression and enemy aggression. We will never forget them."