Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 8, 2024 15:03:38 GMT 12
An interesting story from The Press, 29 September 1988:
Museum awakens memories
By
DAVE WILSON
Commander Marshall Lloyd patted the propeller of the big Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber and spoke of his long-time affection for New Zealanders. The wartime fighter pilot and honoured guest at the H.M.N.Z.S. Gambia crew reunion last weekend toured the R.N.Z.A.F. Museum at Wigram yesterday.
In the main aircraft hall, memories came back.
"I liked the New Zealanders. When I was flying dive-bomber missions over the Solomons in 1943, the R.N.Z.A.F. flew close cover for us. “It was reassuring, going into the attack, to look out and see the New Zealand P-40 fighters protecting us.”
Former crew members of the cruiser Gambia invited Commander and Mrs Lloyd to New Zealand for the forty-fifth anniversary reunion, to repay a 43-year-old debt the ship’s company owed the American pilot.
Commander Lloyd led a section of Corsair fighters that shot down a Japanese kamikaze aircraft diving on the Gambia 20 minutes after hostilities ceased in August, 1945. For decades the crew thought Fleet Air Arm pilots had saved their lives and it was only a year ago the identity of the mystery men was solved.
“I still remember that mission,” Commander Lloyd said yesterday. “We were flying combat air patrol over the British task force off Japan when the fighter director of the carrier Indefatigable sent us to identify an unidentified aircraft. We found it was a Japanese aircraft in a place he was not supposed to be.”
Commander Lloyd led the attack with his four Corsairs, downing the Japanese aircraft at low altitude. Debris from the crash hit the Gambia’s superstructure.
Peaceful pursuits govern the Lloyds’ lives today. Both marvelled at the reception accorded them at the Gambia reunion and the hospitality of the people of Hokitika, the reunion venue.
“These last few days have been memorable, very memorable,” Commander Lloyd said.
A wartime United States Navy fighter pilot, Commander Marshall Lloyd (right), renews his acquaintance with a Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber during a visit to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum yesterday. Commander Lloyd was guest of honour at the H.M.N.Z.S. Gambia crew reunion at the week-end. In the centre is the reunion organiser, Mr Jack Stuart, with Mr Ron Henry, a museum guide.
Museum awakens memories
By
DAVE WILSON
Commander Marshall Lloyd patted the propeller of the big Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber and spoke of his long-time affection for New Zealanders. The wartime fighter pilot and honoured guest at the H.M.N.Z.S. Gambia crew reunion last weekend toured the R.N.Z.A.F. Museum at Wigram yesterday.
In the main aircraft hall, memories came back.
"I liked the New Zealanders. When I was flying dive-bomber missions over the Solomons in 1943, the R.N.Z.A.F. flew close cover for us. “It was reassuring, going into the attack, to look out and see the New Zealand P-40 fighters protecting us.”
Former crew members of the cruiser Gambia invited Commander and Mrs Lloyd to New Zealand for the forty-fifth anniversary reunion, to repay a 43-year-old debt the ship’s company owed the American pilot.
Commander Lloyd led a section of Corsair fighters that shot down a Japanese kamikaze aircraft diving on the Gambia 20 minutes after hostilities ceased in August, 1945. For decades the crew thought Fleet Air Arm pilots had saved their lives and it was only a year ago the identity of the mystery men was solved.
“I still remember that mission,” Commander Lloyd said yesterday. “We were flying combat air patrol over the British task force off Japan when the fighter director of the carrier Indefatigable sent us to identify an unidentified aircraft. We found it was a Japanese aircraft in a place he was not supposed to be.”
Commander Lloyd led the attack with his four Corsairs, downing the Japanese aircraft at low altitude. Debris from the crash hit the Gambia’s superstructure.
Peaceful pursuits govern the Lloyds’ lives today. Both marvelled at the reception accorded them at the Gambia reunion and the hospitality of the people of Hokitika, the reunion venue.
“These last few days have been memorable, very memorable,” Commander Lloyd said.
A wartime United States Navy fighter pilot, Commander Marshall Lloyd (right), renews his acquaintance with a Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber during a visit to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum yesterday. Commander Lloyd was guest of honour at the H.M.N.Z.S. Gambia crew reunion at the week-end. In the centre is the reunion organiser, Mr Jack Stuart, with Mr Ron Henry, a museum guide.
