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HD/NF (right aligned) 421149 : Flying Officer Lloyd John GWYNNE. WIFE : Mrs. D.T. Gwynne of Kings Cross, Sydney, Australia. MOTHER : Mrs. M.L. Gwynne of Clevedon, Auckland.
Lloyd Gwynne was born on the 9th June, 1913, at Wellington, and received his secondary education at Kings College, Auckland, where he attained Intermediate standard. The sports in which he was actively interested included rugby, football, tennis and shooting. After leaving school he was engaged in various occupations including a clerical position with Levin & Coy. Ltd., Wellington; a tally clerk with Auckland Tallyman's Union, and at the time of his application for aircrew - on the 24th March, 1941 - he was employed as a rabbiter, shepherd, and deer culler with C.S. Heatley, "Blackhill", Taihape.
F/O Gwynne was enlisted at Levin on the 8th February, 1942. Late in February he proceeded with the Initial Training Wing to Rotorua. At the conclusion of his initial training he was posted - on the 6th April - to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri, where his flying training was terminated, and he proceeded - on the 15th May - to Rongotai. On the 18th May he was remustered to air observer and posted to Rotorua for his initial training at the conclusion of which he embarked - on the 22nd June, 1942, for Canada.
On arrival in Canada F/O Gwynne was posted to No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School, Mountain View, Ontario, and thence - on the 15th September - to No. 1 Air Observer's School, Chatham, New Brunswick, where, on the 23rd October, he was awarded the air bomber's badge and commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 23rd April 1943. On the 2nd November, 1942, he proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, for embarkation to the United Kingdom.
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L.J. GWYNNE. 2. (centre aligned)
Arriving on the 1st December, at Bournemouth, F/O Gwynne was posted - on the 19th January, 1943 - to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Oakley, Buckinghamshire, where he trained as air bomber on Wellington aircraft. On the 22nd April, he proceeded to No. 1657 Conversion Unit, Stradishall, Suffolk, continuing his training on Stirling aircraft.
F/O Gwynne was posted - on the 25th May - to No. 15 Squadron, Mildenhall, Suffolk, form where he took part in operations, as air bomber on Stirling aircraft, the targets including Dusseldorf, in Germany; and minelaying in the Bay of Biscay, off the coast of France. ON the night of 22nd June, 1943, he was air bomber of a Stirling aircraft which took off from Mildenhall, wiht Mulheim, Germany, as the target, and failed to return to its base. All the members of the crew, including F/O Gwynne, were reported missing. This was his 5th operational flight. Later, from information received through the International Red Cross Committee, stating that F/O Gwynne had lost his life, he was reclassified missing, belived killed, and subsequently his death was officially presumed. Further information received through the I.R.C.C. disclosed that he had been buried in the General Cemetery at Ede, in the province of Gelderland, Holland.
Other R.N.Z.A.F members of the crew were - F/O J.V Hawkins, of Hamilton, F/Sgt D.J. Tickle of Te Aroha, and F/Sgt. A.W. Crozier, of Woodville.
5/2/9504 AS2 235 hrs. as air bomber.
Mrs. M.L. Gwynne (M) (right aligned) C/o Mr G. Plows (right aligned) Otau, Clevedon, (right aligned) AUCKLAND. (underlined & right aligned).