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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 13, 2009 17:07:46 GMT 12
Many RNZAF fans have seen photos of the famous P-40's that were painted up with the name Gloria Lyons on the cowls, but I thought some of you might be interested in the original article that made her and the story famous with the public. Here it is, transcribed from an archived copy.
Romantic Story of Pacific Airmen, An Aircraft and A Girl The Telegraph - Press Assn - Copyright, RNZAF Official News Service, New Georgia
Nineteen-year-old Gloria Lyons lies in Christchurch Public Hospital with turburculosis of the spine. Patient and cheerful, she faces a stay there of two years. At a forward Pacific base of the R.N.Z.A.F. stands another "Gloria Lyons" - a slick Warhawk fighter and in the pilot's cockpit a small type-written note is pasted, "To the pilot. Gloria Lyons is our No. 4 S.U. mascot. She is doing a long term in hospital and we want both our Glorias to last a long time. No. 4 S.U., December 43."
Four young New Zealand airmen of No. 4 Servicing Unit attached to a New Zealand fighter wing sat in their tent one evening reading mail that had come that day. For one there were seven or eight letters, another also received a good batch, but for the other two it was a lean mail day.
So they got their heads together and not long afterwards this advertisement appeared in a Christchurch newspaper: "Two lonely airmen wish to correspond with two smart young ladies 18-21 with a view to friendship, interests, dancing, music and sport. Photo if possible."
Among the replies came one rather dimaenily from Gloria Lyons on behalf of herself and a fellow patient. A few more letters broke the ice and now a regular correspondence flows. She tells the airmen to whom she writes of what goes on at home in New Zealand and he describes to her what life is like in the tropics. It is amazing how things get round in these camps, but the airman did not have to stand chipping from his mates.
Instead the story caught their imagination; and when a Warhawk with the identification letter G was passing through the maintenance line the idea blossomed in some head to name the fighter after the sporting, bed-ridden girl and adopting her as the unit's mascot.
So while Gloria Lyons of the Pacific takes to the air with her colleagues to beat the Japs out of the skies, her namesake follows her fortunes keenly and hopefully. The thoughts of the boys of No. 4 S.U. are with the welfare of both.
I'd like to know more of course. Did Gloria Lyons recover? Did she ever meet the airmen of the SU? Who were those two airmen that set up contact with her and her fellow patient? Who was the other patient? Are any of them still alive today. Perhaps we'll never know, but I reckon there's a great chickflick aviation movie in this story.
Unfortunately I don't know the exact date of that cutting, nor which newspaper it came from.
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Post by shorty on Dec 13, 2009 19:07:12 GMT 12
The cutting was from the Press 27-1-44 No 4 S.U. (Servicing Unit) was one of many which were raised during the war to look after aircraft of various squadrons. Instead of sending complete squadrons with servicing and administrative personnel attached for the tour of duty, which normally lasted three months for the fighter and bomber pilots, it was decided to form servicing units which would stay in the forward areas and service whichever squadrons were serving in the area at that time. These units were known as Servicing Units from October 1943 onwards.
and was based at Ondonga, New Georgia. Early in November 1943 No 15 Squadron was relieved by No 14 Squadron, and No 15 once again relieved No 14 in the second half of December 1943. No 15 then moved to Torokina on Bougainville Island on 17 January 1944, where it was followed by No 4 S.U. By the end of October 1943 No 4 S.U. was responsible for aircraft of No 15 Squadron RNZAF, At the beginning of March 1944 No 4 S.U. was servicing aircraft of No 18 Squadron, and in the middle of June No 18 Squadron's were again under No 4 S.U. still on Bougainville. No 23 Squadron, which formed in New Zealand with Corsairs in August 1944, arrived at Piva, on Bougainville, in October 1944 and on 16 November it was transferred to Los Negros together with No 4 S.U. where it carried out strikes against Japanese positions. The servicing unit at this time was working under difficult conditions as it's heavy equipment had had to be left on Bougainville owing to transport problems. No 4 S.U. spent the rest of it's existance at Los Negros during 1945 and it was dispanded after aircraft based on the island had been returned to New Zealand after the war ended in August 1945.
On 18th September 1944 a crowd assembled in the Square in Christchurch to see Miss Gloria Lyons visit the Warhawk which carried her name at that time. However the visit was postponed because of rain. The aircraft was on view all that week, and the caption to the photograph published in The Press states the aircraft had taken part in 57 raids in the Pacific. The aircraft was P 40 N NZ 3220 and appeared to be coded FE-B or FE-D or FE-P (FE was the code for No 4 FOTU) It is believed that the "mission bars" were carried forward from one aircraft to another, as were the 2 1/2 Japanese flags painted under the cockpit windscreen.
There were three different Kittyhawks named "Gloria Lyons". The first crashed on 9 February 1944, when, approaching the airstrip, the aircraft suddenly dived but managed to pull out about half way down the strip, by then it was at about zero feet, it hit a tent, crashed into scrub at the end of the strip and overturned.
The same pilot (F.O. Charlie Woods) was also flying the second "Gloria" when it also crashed, on 22 February 1944. The rudder controls in the cockpit were hit by enemy action and althought the aircraft could still be flown (by pulling on the cables from inside the cockpit), it could not be landed due to the undercarriage malfuntioning as well and therefore the pilot bailed out into the sea near the end of the airstrip at Buka.
The third "Gloria Lyons" was NZ 3220 which was disposed of at Rukuhia and subseqently acquired by John Smith of Mapua
Gloria survived and , as Mrs Austin Eames, lived in Bankstown NSW. She was still alive in the late 70's. I'll need to look up the names of the 4 SU armourers concerned. There is a photo of Gloria herself on Pete Mossongs web site.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 13, 2009 20:42:19 GMT 12
Thanks Shorty, great stuff. It's good to know she lived through her illness and to a good age, and also that she was actually united with the third P-40. I've seen a photo of NZ3220 in the Square for a bond drive but didn't realise she went to see it.
Wasn't there a fourth aircraft too, a Corsair?
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Post by shorty on Dec 13, 2009 20:55:52 GMT 12
Correct, NZ 5233. Crashed on landing at Bougainville on 15 June 1944 due to the condition of the runway at the time. Sergeant R. Carter uninjured. Aircraft written off books at Bougainville
Addenda One of the armourers was Maurice Moody
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Post by camtech on Dec 15, 2009 14:10:13 GMT 12
To add a bit more, there was an article in the Christchurch Press of 27 August 1986: ANYONE SEEN GLORIA? During the 1940’s a young, wheelchair-bound woman named Gloria Lyons corresponded with a young man named Maurice Moody, an armourer in No 16 Fighter Squadron of the RNZAF on Ondonga, a remote territory in the Pacific. Her letters like any sent to troops overseas, meant a great deal to someone stationed on a lonely island outpost. Several aircraft, two of which were shot down, were named after Gloria. Towards the end of the war, contact with her was lost. Because she lived in Christchurch, we think there must be someone who remembers her and who could tell us something of her life since the war. Gloria may still be around, and if so Mr. Moody is curious to meet the person who made life bearable 43 years ago. Photo: Four men of No16 Fighter Squadron in 1943 with the airborne version of Gloria Lyons. From left are Russell Skelton, Maurice Moody, and two unidentified New Zealanders. (Sitting on the wing of a Kittyhawk, with Gloria Lyons emblazoned on the starboard nose cowl).
Also on 30 August, the following:
GLORIA: THE GIRL Our attempt to find what happened to Gloria Lyons, the young woman whose war-time letters earned her name a place on at least three aircraft, have resulted in only tantalising tidbits. The story so far: Gloria lived in Petrie St, Shirley, and went to Avonside Girls’ High School. One of her classmates described Gloria as “a real goer”, who was one of the first to sneak a smoke behind the bike sheds. Her active life was stopped when she contracted tuberculosis of the spine. In a wheelchair, and then bed-ridden, her main contact with the world was writing letters to New Zealanders overseas. Several people visited her in Christchurch Hospital towards the end of the war, and then the trail vanishes. - THE AIRCRAFT Several readers also remembered aircraft named after Gloria Lyons, including the pilot who flew the last P40 “Gloria” 3220, from Ohakea to Wigram and then to Harewood, on September 14, 1944. The fuselage and wings of 3220 are now in a private collection near Nelson, and it is possibly the only P40 in New Zealand, which could be restored sufficiently to take to the air again. We believe that there were at least two other “Gloria Lyons” in service in the Pacific – one crash-landed and another was shot down.
Followed by, on 3 September:
GOOD NEWS All reports of Gloria Lyons, the girl who gave her name to four aircraft during the war, indicated that she was probably dead from the tuberculosis of the spine, which she suffered as a teenager. She was last seen in 1954 as a patient in Christchurch Public Hospital. But the tale has a happy ending. Gloria, now Mrs Austin-Eames, is alive and reasonably well, living in Bankstown, Australia. The news that people were concerned enough to make toll calls (one form the North Island) and write letters in the search for Gloria, may cheer her now as much as her letters cheered others during the war.
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Post by camtech on Dec 15, 2009 14:22:06 GMT 12
Shorty, Can you confirm the serials of the first two "Gloria Lyons", please?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 15, 2009 14:29:22 GMT 12
Great info Les, thanks.
There are currently two members of the Austin-Eames family listed in Bankstown on the Australian white pages site, but neither is G. Austin-Eames, so maybe she is no longer with us.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 15, 2009 17:26:32 GMT 12
Shorty, Can you confirm the serials of the first two "Gloria Lyons", please? P-40N's NZ3148 and NZ3167
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Post by baz62 on Dec 15, 2009 21:33:34 GMT 12
Not sure if this is true but isn't the P40 that John Smith has a Gloria Lyons one?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 15, 2009 21:57:48 GMT 12
It's true Baz, as mentioned several times above it's NZ3220.
Funny how that old article says it's the most likely candidate in NZ to fly. Now three of the others are flying and John's is still the least likely to fly.
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Post by baz62 on Dec 23, 2009 14:48:41 GMT 12
It's true Baz, as mentioned several times above it's NZ3220. Cheeky bugger! I wear glasses and the memory of a fish.............. ;D Oh and have a great Christmas Dave and all the best for 2010. Hope we get to meet up again soon. Cheers Baz
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2009 17:08:46 GMT 12
Thanks Baz, you too.
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garyae
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by garyae on Aug 25, 2010 23:37:14 GMT 12
I just stumbled on to this thread. Gloria Austin-Eames was my aunty, unfortunately she passed away in 1998.
She used to mention to me as a child that she had planes named after her in NZ during the war, it was something she was very proud of. I seem to remember her saying 5 planes once, but I could be mistaken, it was a long time ago and I was young.
Fascinating to find out this information, thank you to everyone who posted this.
Gary Austin-Eames
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2010 0:13:53 GMT 12
Welcome Gary. I guess you are also related to Debbie Autin-Eames, who emailed me a nice letter a few months back after also seeing this thread.
It's nice to know the info is being appreciated. I have never heard of a fifth aircraft but I guess it is possible. It would be neat if the letters she received from the No. 4 SU airmen still survived somewhere in the family. Any ideas? I guess they probably sent here photos of the aeroplanes too.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2010 0:21:15 GMT 12
Since Papers Past now goes up to 1945 I did a search just now and found the very same article, and it's the only one that comes up, but we now have the date that it appeared in the Evening Post. It was in Volume CXXXVII, Issue 21, 26 January 1944, Page 6.
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garyae
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by garyae on Aug 26, 2010 21:34:33 GMT 12
I could be wrong about the number of planes, the story was told many years ago when I was quite young. I do remember at least one photo which would have been a Kittyhawk in a newspaper clipping she had. I'll try to find out what happened to those papers.
Yes I am related to Debbie, she is my sister and and Aunty Gloria often babysat both of us when we were kids.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2010 22:39:47 GMT 12
Photo: Four men of No16 Fighter Squadron in 1943 with the airborne version of Gloria Lyons. From left are Russell Skelton, Maurice Moody, and two unidentified New Zealanders. (Sitting on the wing of a Kittyhawk, with Gloria Lyons emblazoned on the starboard nose cowl). Today I found a letter by chance in an old copy of RNZAF Association News, Volume 5, No. 2 Spring/Summer 1989. It was from Mr. J.L. 'Jock' Turner of Banks St, Christchurch, who'd been a wartime pilot. He included a photo which must be the same one that Les refers to above in my quote. The letter says: "Dear Sir,
Further to your article about Gloria Lyons in the Spring 1988 edition of the RNZAFA NEWS, I would like you to publish the enclosed photo of the first Gloria Lyons kite NZ3148. I would like to know if any of your readers have any relevant information or photo's etc of any of the four G for Gloria kites. I know the names of the pilots who either crashed or 'baled out' from NZ3148, NZ3167 and NZ5233 and their accounts of the crashes, but thought that there might be some other information still around. I am trying to write a history of Gloria Lyons and her kites and this extra information would come in handy. The fourth Gloria kite, NZ3220, is the only survivor of quite a celebrated line of aircraft and is at present lying in a waether-proof shed in Nelson. The owner had the foresight to save this P40 for posterity and should be congratulated instead of everyone trying to take it from him. The airmen on the wing of NZ3148 are from left Laury Skelton, Maury Moody, George Smythe but can anyone tell me who the fourth one is? This photo was taken when 18 Squadron was on Ondonga in late 1943. I know Gloria Austin-Eames (Lyons) very well and she is 'chuffed' to know that so many ex Air Force bods remember her and her kites.
Kindest regards, J.L. Turner" So according to him the chap was Laury Skelton ratehr than Russell Skelton, and the third man was George Smythe. i wonder if any of them are still around. I also wonder how far Jock Turner got with writing the history up, and if he got much response back then in 1989.
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Post by alanw on Aug 27, 2010 10:17:13 GMT 12
Correct, NZ 5233. Crashed on landing at Bougainville on 15 June 1944 due to the condition of the runway at the time. Sergeant R. Carter uninjured. Aircraft written off books at Bougainville Hi All Does (to anyones knowledge) a photo exist of F4U-1a NZ5233? I have the old Revell F4U to build at some stage, and this seems like a pretty cool subject to finish it in TIA Alan
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 5, 2010 12:51:59 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 5, 2010 12:54:44 GMT 12
9. Jap Scrap (Photo didn't come across)
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