Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

ATHLETE KILLED
AIRCRAFT
ACCIDENT
Flying Officer J. G. Lobban, husband of the former Miss Nina Vickery, the interstate tennis player, who visited Wellington and competed in the Wellington Tennis Club's big June tournaments in the past, was killed in an aircraft accident in Victoria on Saturday.
He was attached to the R.A.A.F., and was the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Lobban, of Elizabeth Bay. He was a widely known athlete and Rugby Union player, and won his blue, at both Sydney and Melbourne Universities.
In 1935 he created a State broad jump record of 24ft. 6¼in., and followed this up by wining the Australian championship in 1936. Prior to enlisting, he was an officer of the Union Bank. His wife and a son survive him.

FATAL CRASH
OF PLANE
UNEXPLAINED
Wreckage and the three bodies of the RAAF crew were strewn over an area of more than 300 yards when a twin-engined RAAF plane crashed into trees in a paddock about 1½ miles from Wallan. At the Inquest today on Flying Officer John Gordon Lobban, 32; Flight Lieut. Alexander Phillip Stepto Wood. 27, and Squadron Leader Allyn Clive Douglas, 25. the Coroner (Mr Tingate, P.M.) recorded an open  finding. Lewis Frederick Styles, of Lansdowne Street. East Melbourne, sheet-metal worker, said that at 5.5 p.m. on April 29 he was at a farm at Darraweit when he saw the plane flying low about half a mile away in a northerly direction. Suddenly it took a steep dive and disappeared. The noise of the motors died away as the plane dived, but, soon after it disappeared, he heard them roar as though  the pilot were trying to rise again, but next he heard a terrific explosion and saw flames and smoke. The plane at first seemed to be in normal flight, the day was fine and the clouds high. He had seen  other planes flying lower than this one.
L.A.C. Francis James Martin said the plane had been refuelled at Essendon after arriving from Tocumwal, but was not inspected at Essendon, as this would normally have been done at Tocumwal. When  the plane left Essendon Lobban was at the controls. Douglas in the co-pilot's seat and Wood was sitting behind them. All men were sober and Lobban was a pilot of considerable experience, having  flown in oversea operations.

Son of Robert and Marion Lobban

Husband of Nina Fisken Lobban of Strathfield, NSW

RAAF training aircraft Oxford LW999 crashed near Wallan, Victoria killing all crew onboard:

Squadron Leader Allyn Clive Douglass DSO, DFC (Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross) 404374

Flight Lieutenant Alexander Philip Stepto Wood 400747  

Pilot Officer Gordon Lobban 423771