LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant David Kilgour LLOYD
Service No: 402798
Born: Adamstown NSW, 30 July 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 14 October 1940
Unit: No. 405 Squadron (RCAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 405 Squadron Wellington aircraft W5531), Suffolk, 12 April 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Ringshall (St Catherine) Churchyard, Suffolk
CWGC Additional Information: Son of David Lewis Lloyd and Vera Mabel Lloyd, of Adamstown, New South Wales, Australia; husband of Eileen Everett Lloyd, of Hamilton, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Adamstown NSW
Remembered: Panel 133, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington W5531 took off on the night of 12 April 1942 detailed to bomb Essen, Germany. Shortly after 2345 hours trouble was experienced in the port motor and the aircraft which was flying at 11,000 feet went into a dive. By a great effort the Second Pilot succeeded in steadying the aircraft at approximately 8,000 feet, but a few seconds later it dived a further1000 feet. Flight Sergeant Lloyd then took over the controls, holding the aircraft level with much difficulty. Lloyd ordered the crew to bale out but he remained in the aircraft and lost his life. The aircraft crashed near Stowmarket, Suffolk.
By his self-sacrifice Lloyd saved the lives of four members of the crew. He was highly commended by his CO for his courage and devotion to duty. In a Court of Inquiry the 2nd Pilot stated: “At about 2345 hours, the aircraft was flying at approximately 11,000 feet, when the port motor began to surge and the port revs fluctuated from 300 to 400 revs. The port engine then began to labour and burst into flames, causing the boost to drop off. The aircraft went into very steep dive and it took a great effort to pull out at approximately 8,000 feet. I held it level for a short time when it went into a dive again and was pulled out at approximately 7, 000 feet. I shut the port cock off as soon as the fire started and the fire extinguisher was used. This caused the fire to momentarily subside but did not have a great effect. The Captain then took over and held the aircraft as level as possible but with apparent difficulty. The aircraft was still losing height, and was on fire and was now spreading towards the fuselage. The order to bale out was given by the Captain.”
The crew members of W5531 were:
Sergeant W R Ferrier (R/77108) (RCAF) (Second Pilot) Injured
Flight Sergeant R A Gardiner (R/70101) (RCAF) (First Wireless Operator) Injured
Warrant Officer II Grant Russell Graves (R/65174) (RCAF) (Second Wireless Operator)
Flight Sergeant David Kilgour Lloyd (402798) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant G M Phillips (R/62639) (RCAF) (Observer) Injured
Flight Sergeant H J Thomas (523216) (RAF) (Air Gunner) Uninjured
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/138/82