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Cenotaph record

George Eric Gudsell

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One of so many brave young men who contributed so much during WW2

Wing Commander GE Gudsell

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    George Eric AWMM
  • Surname
    Gudsell AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • WWII NZ411886 AWMM
    • WWII 411886 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion
    Church of England, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • 1939-1945 Star AWMM
      Air Medal 27 November 1942 AWMM
    • Pacific Star AWMM
    • Defence Medal AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
    • Air Medal (USA) AWMM
      "For meritorious achivement while participating in aerial flight in command of a reconnaissance bomber, serving with a Marine Aricraft Group during action against three enemy Japanese fighters south-west of Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands, on November 27, 1942. After relaying to his home base a complete report on the hostile task force which he had sighted, Flying Officer Gudsell, amid a hail of bursting anti-aircraft shells, precariously hovered over the surface vessels to obtain further important information by closer observation. When suddenly set upon by three fighters who blasted the top gun turret out of action and then concentrated their attacks on the stern of his bomber, he employed such skilful evasive tactics and fire control that the Japanese aircraft were forced to break off the engagement and retire. With superb airmanship and courageous leadership, he brought his plane through perilous action under fire against heavy odds to retun to safety without personnel injury and with only a minimum of material damage." Hanson p. 224 AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
    Aircrew (Pilot) training in New Zealand - Taieri and Wigram AWMM
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 May 1940 AWMM
    Age 21 AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
      Admitted to RNZAF, Rotorua 1944 - severe operational fatigue AWMM
    • Medical, WWII AWMM
      Deafness AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Husband of Florence Melva Gudsell

    Aged 21 years, 11 months at enlistment

    Also served with RAF, RAAF

    A funeral service was held at St Matthews Anglican Church, King Street South, Hastings on 2 November 2009. AWMM

Death

About death

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  • Death
    29 October 2009 AWMM
    Age 91 AWMM
    Havelock North, Hawkes Bay AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
    Death Notices: Dominion Post, 31 October 2009, p.D9 AWMM
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember George Eric Gudsell by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of George Eric Gudsell

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  • Remembering a very special father who taught me so much about love and peace and so little about his war.
    Public - Margaret - Other Relative - 25 April 2015
    Report 
  • Remembering you with love Grandad xxxxxx
    Public - Debbie - Other Relative - 25 April 2015
    Report 
  • To one of my Granddad's best friends and the man who told me what my Grandfather did for us in the war
    Public - Scott - 24 April 2015
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Correspondence with family AWMM
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM
    • Hanson, C. (2001). By such deeds: honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999. Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
      Hanson, C. (2001). p. 224 AWMM
    • Dominion Post AWMM
      Death Notices: Dominion Post, 31 October 2009, p.D9 AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
25 April 2015MargaretHastingsOther Relative
25 April 2015Debbie Australia Other Relative
24 April 2015ScottNew PlymouthOther

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