Strana 71
AK961, F/Sgt Lloyd Boardman, No. 3 Squadron (RAAF), June 1942
NZ3237, Allan Watson, No. 19 Squadron (RNZAF), Torokina, 1944
Flight Sergeant Lloyd “Danny” Boardman
underwent flight training in Southern
Rhodesia when he was twenty years old.
He first completed basic training at No. 26 EFTS
at Guinea Fowl Air Base, which he finished
on May 20, 1941. He continued his training at
No. 22 SFTS in Thornhill, and after combat
training, he became a pilot with No. 3 Squadron
RAAF, which was based in Gambut at the time,
on February 16, 1942. He earned the nickname
Danny for his soulful rendition of the well-known
Irish song Danny Boy. His combat experience and
leadership skills, despite his rank of sergeant,
earned him recognition in the form of command
of a flight and even, on several missions, the
entire squadron in the air. The then squadron
commander, Bobby Gibbes, realized that rank
was not important for command in combat,
so he did not hesitate to entrust operational
command to sergeants. Boardman's Kittyhawk
was decorated with a drawing of a dog happily
walking away from the Afrika Korps emblem,
a palm tree with a swastika, which he had
apparently successfully urinated on...
Allan Archibald “Skip” Watson was born on
January 31, 1922. After pilot training, he first
served one tour with No. 19 Squadron and
then three more with No. 22 Squadron. In total,
he flew 188 missions and 351 hours. He earned
his promotion to Squadron Leader thanks in
part to his decisiveness in combat. For example,
on January 29, 1945, he led his section in
a low-altitude attack on enemy anti-aircraft
positions and completely silenced Japanese fire,
allowing other aircraft to carry out bombing
runs without losses. Just three days later, he led
an attack on enemy installations in Kavieng and,
despite heavy anti-aircraft fire that damaged his
aircraft, he completed the attack and destroyed
a hangar with a direct hit. At that time, he was
already leading No. 22 Squadron. After the war,
he devoted himself to rugby, becoming a reserve
player for the Grammar team and winning the
Auckland Rugby Union senior premier league
with them. He subsequently remained involved
in rugby as a referee and worked at the
international level. He also ran marathons and
was said to be an excellent singer. He died just
three weeks before his 90th birthday in 2012.
He named his Warhawk Esma Lee after his
girlfriend at the time. He eventually married
another girl named Nancy Hickling, but that
didn't happen until 1948.
KITS 12/2025
INFO Eduard
71
December 2025