Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lloyd was born on 19 Jan 1923 at Orroroo (SA) to Gilbert Woolford and Anna Amelia Woolford  (nee Mills). He was the eldest of 4 children, all boys. The family lived at Orroroo where his father was a farmer before moving to Ungarra in 1928. The  family then moved onto a scrub block at Mt. Hill in 1930.

Lloyd went to school at Ungarra and then Mt Hill, leaving school in Dec 1937.  On completion of schooling he  worked on the family farm.  He remained in this employ until his enlistment in the RAAF at the age of 19 years.  On enlistment he recorded his occupation as farmer and his location of enlistment as Butler Tanks

After enlistment at No 5 Recruiting Centre in Adelaide,  he was then sent to No. 2 Operational Training Unit at Mildura (Vic) for training before being reposted to Ascot Vale (Vic) for further training where he qualified as a Fitter 11e. On the completion of training he was posted to No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School at Port Pirie (SA), where he remained for  almost a year before being reposted to No. 82 Squadron (Sqn) located at Bankstown (NSW) on 15 Jun 1943.

No. 82 Sqn RAAF, was a fighter squadron formed in Jun 1943 which undertook training at Bankstown until Apr 1944 before moving to bases in Qld and PNG. Lloyd did not move with them, as on 22 Feb 1944 he was posted No. 79 Sqn RAAF.

No. 79 Sqn was raised at Laverton on 26 April 1943. The Sqn deployed to Goodenough Island (off the PNG coast) a month later and was operational by 26 Jun 1943.

The Sqn then deployed to Momote, Los Negros, on 16 Mar 1944. It was here that Lloyd joined his Sqn and it would seem that his arrival was timely: the aircraft were becoming difficult to maintain, with only two available for operations, thus the services of a fitter were very sought after.

The Sqn relocated to Morotai on 6 Feb 1945 and was operational within a month. It was still operating under difficult circumstances, which did not ease with its re-equipment with Mk V111 Spitfires.
Lloyd remained with No. 79 Sqn until 28 Apr 1945, before being admitted to 7 RAAF Hospital, where he remained until 18 Jul 1945. At the completion of his hospital stay he was marched into No. 4 Personnel Depot for discharge as medically unfit for further service. He took his discharge on 13 Sep 1945.

He then returned to Butler Tanks and the family farm. He applied for a "Soldiers Settlers" block in his home area (Mt Hill) in 1945. He was still single at this time, but was courting Joan Pedler from Moonta.  His courting was successful, as he married Joan on the 3 Apr 1946: they settled on the family farm and began to raise their family, a daughter being born in Jun 1947.

1950 was a momentous year for Lloyd's family as: they moved onto their own farm on 2 Jan - Sects 294/377, Hds of Hutchinson and Yarranyacka and named it "Copper Ridge" ; it was also the year that their second child, a son, was born.

They farmed this property for 30 years and raised a family of 3 on it. They sold the property on 1 Apr 1979 and moved to the "Old Chapel" on Mine Hill Road, where they remained for 10 years before leaving the district to reside in Moonta (SA), Joan's home town.

Lloyd was very community minded. He was a  staunch supporter of the RSL at Tumby Bay, holding the positions of Secretary and President for a combined total of 30 years. He was also the State Vice President of the RSL. Other community positions included the CFS and the Agricultural Bureau, where he was awarded life  membership of each.

Lloyd's ashes are interred at Flinders Island, near Streaky Bay. Joan still resides at Moonta.

Medals and Decorations

1939-45 Star                                                                                     

Pacific Star                                                                                                                 

Defence Medal                                                                                 

War Medal 1939-45                                                                                         

Australian Service Medal 1939-45