The Important Battle of Malta DFC Group to Squadron Leader R M Lloyd of 185 Squadron

Boxed GVI DFC dated 1942.

1939 to 45 Star

Africa Star

War Medal.

Box of issue with condlence slip. The condolence slip has the incorrect intial of 'I' which has three pin pricks through it. Looks to be an attempt to remove the mistake. 

Condition EF

Rhys Martin Lloyd was from Llangathen in Wales, he was born in 1916. The son of Colonel A M Lloyd. The family lived a in house called 'Court Henry' which is now grade two listed.

 Educated at St Cyprian's and Radley School. Lloyd went up to Caius College Cambridge and was a University Air training Squadron member from 1936-39.

Lloyd was commissioned into the RAF as a Pilot Officer on the 2nd of August 1940 and undertook his flight training in Rhodesia. he was briefly posted to a Spitfire Squadron in England but volunteered for service on Malta. Posted to 185 Squadron, which Operated Hurricanes. The Squadron was heavily involved in the Battle of Malta, and Lloyd was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions there. His DFC was announced in the London Gazette on the 1st of May 1942; the citation is as follows;

' Acting Flight Lieutenant Rhys Martin LLOYD (106157), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 185 Squadron. This officer is a confident and skilful fighter pilot. He has destroyed 2, probably destroyed 3 and damaged a further 5 hostile aircraft. He invariably presses home his attacks from the closest range'

Lloyd is mentioned frequently the book ' 185: the Malta Squadron by Anthony Rogers. An excellent online article by Akhil Kadidalhttps://achillestheheel.com/2016/09/24/the-battle-for-malta-1940-1942/3/ describes an event in which Lloyd leads a number of sorties to locate a downed pilot. He eventually commanded the Squadron for a short period of time.

Transferred to 33 Squadron and promoted to Squadron Leader, he was listed as missing - presumed killed on the 27th of October 1942 when he failed to return from a sortie over El Daha during the Battle of El Alamein. He was 26 years old and is remembered on the El Alamein Memorial.

The group will prove to be an excellent research project for the buyer.