Ajax Veterans Street Dedication: Lloydminster Avenue

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Street Name: Lloydminster Avenue
Name of Veteran: Richard David Lloyd May 25, 1915-Sept. 1967
Rank: Stoker 1st Class
Ship Served: HMS Ajax
Date of Service on Ship: 1939
Year of Visit/Dedication: September 14, 2016
Veteran or Family Visit: son David Lloyd and his wife Tracey
Veteran of the Battle of the River Plate: Yes
Died at Battle: No

Richard David Lloyd, known as Dave to family and friends, was born on May 25, 1915 in Criggion, Monmouthshire to Alfred and Mary Lloyd. He joined the Royal Navy in 1935 at the age of twenty. Considered a ‘Chatham rating’ he joined his first ship, HMS Medway, in April 1936. He served a number of ships, including HMS Kent where he was promoted to Stoker 1st Class. He then served HMS Hermes, Calcutta and the Ajax.

Dave was onboard HMS Eskimo for four years and was promoted to Acting Leading Stoker (temporary). The Eskimo was involved in patrols and convoy duties, and was later a part of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla. From the Eskimo Dave moved on to HMS Canada, HMS Gozo, where he became Acting Stoker Petty Officer (temporary) and then Leading Stoker (permanent). His final position with HMS Gozo was Stoker Petty Officer and this is where he served until the end of World War Two. He was awarded the 1939/45 Star, Atlantic Star with France and Germany clasps, Burma Star with Pacific clasp and the War Medal.

After the War Dave married Emily Bateman and they had six children. Five daughters; Valerie, Janice, Barbara, Jean and Dianne; and one son, David. He continued his career with the Royal Navy and went on to serve HMS B.Y.M.S 2280 (a minesweeper), HMS Wildfire and his final ship HMS Queensborough.

Dave left the Royal Navy in December 1947. He began working as a cabinet maker and later a maintenance/boiler man at the Trebor sweet factory in Forest Gate, East London. In 1967, while on holiday in Shoeburyness, Essex he suffered a stroke and after a short stay in hospital died in September of that year. He was only 52 years old.

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