Flying Officer Lloyd Trigg is the namesake for a tournament being held in Te Kūiti this weekend, raising funds and awareness for mental health.
Raising awareness and funds for mental health is central to a tournament being held in Te Kūiti this weekend, in the name of Victoria Cross recipient Lloyd Trigg.
This is the first Tribute to New Zealand Heroes Association tournament to be played in Te Kūiti since tournaments began in 2017.
This weekend will see both snooker and darts tournaments played at the Waitomo Club from 1pm on Saturday.
The heroes association’s Lester Putze said the tournaments, each named after a different Victoria Cross (VC) recipient, were intended to raise funds for mental health and crisis support organisation Lifeline.
New Zealand has 23 VC recipients, all awarded for “valour in the face of the enemy” to members of the armed forces of Commonwealth countries, according to NZ History.
The highest military decoration was introduced in 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War.
Lester said Lloyd Trigg, the Te Kūiti tournament’s namesake, was particularly notable because he was the only VC in history to have been recommended for the award by the enemy.
Flying Officer Trigg was 29 years old when he went searching for enemy submarines near the Republic of Gambia (then West Africa) in August 1943.
After eight hours he sighted a U-boat, which had come to the surface and began to attack.
On his approach, his Liberator plane took “many” hits from the submarine’s anti-aircraft guns, according to The London Gazette printed on November 2, 1943.
The plane burst into flames, with the tail quickly enveloped.
Officer Trigg could have made a forced landing in the sea, and every second spent in the air diminished his and his crew’s chances of survival.
“There could have been no hesitation or doubt in his mind. He maintained his course in spite of the already precarious condition of his aircraft and executed a masterly attack.
“Skimming over the U-boat at less than 50 feet, with anti-aircraft fire entering his opened bomb doors, Flying Officer Trigg dropped his bombs on and around the U-boat where they exploded with devastating effect.”
Trigg and his crew plunged into the sea a short distance away and were presumed dead. His VC was awarded posthumously.
Lester said the hero association tournaments played around the country, including in Parliament, weren’t about glorifying war, but rather drawing courage from those they represent.
“We take the attitude that it took a lot of courage for these guys to actually do what they did, but it took just as much courage for them to live their lives with that knowledge,” he said.
“The mental health of those fellas in those days must have been absolutely tremendous.
“They never had the facilities for mental health in those days.”
Lester said it was important to talk to your loved ones, even on their crappy days.
“Talk to your mates and talk to your family and talk to your colleagues.
“Even if you’ve got mental illness, you’ve still got to live what life you’ve got, and you’ve got to live it in the best way that you can.
“That’s what these fellas did.”
Waitomo Club was looking forward to hosting the Tribute to New Zealand Heroes Association, manager Amanda Kiddie said.
The tournament will be played in teams of two – one from snooker and one from darts.
“This should be a fun day for all involved, and we hope to have some good laughs and memories. We would love to see members come and support them during the day.”
The day will conclude with a mid-winter buffet and entertainment.
