Whangārei Boys' High School students Hugh Manson (left) and Brock Reid may have uncovered the medals of a decorated war hero.
Whangārei Boys' High School students Hugh Manson (left) and Brock Reid may have uncovered the medals of a decorated war hero.
A Northland high school is abuzz after students unearthed what may be war medals awarded to one of New Zealand’s most decorated airmen.
The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Victoria Cross (VC) were found in a fishbin at Whangārei Boys’ High School (WBHS) during the first week of theschool holidays.
The medals are believed to have belonged to Sergeant Lloyd Allan Trigg VC DFC, who was born in Houhora in 1914 and attended WBHS.
Students Hugh Manson and Brock Reid were helping principal Alec Solomon clear out storage containers filled with history that had been packed away during the school’s rebuild when they made the discovery.
Manson has led the effort to uncover the history of the medals, with support from the school’s Old Boys’ Association.
Whangārei Boys' High School students Hugh Manson (left) and Brock Reid uncovered two medals that may have been awarded to a war hero who was a former student.
WBHS Old Boys’ Association members Mike Dent, Kevin Salmon and Jarrod Goodall have supported the investigation and liaised with the National Army Museum and other experts to trace the medals’ history and confirm provenance.
Solomon said that whether or not the medals were copies, the discovery had sparked excitement throughout the school and its Old Boys’ Association.
On August 11, 1943, Trigg was flying off the coast of West Africa when he pressed home an attack on a German submarine despite his aircraft – a Liberator bomber – being ablaze.
The attack was successful, but he and his crew lost their lives.
Trigg was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his courage, which was recommended by the surviving German submarine commander.
It’s the only instance of such a recommendation recorded, according to research.
A Victoria Cross medal believed to have belonged to former student and decorated war hero, Sergeant Lloyd Allan Trigg VC DFC was discovered in a fish bin in a storage container.
WBHS students Hugh Manson and Brock Reid have been delving into historical items that had been locked away during the school's rebuild.
Solomon said the school would work to ensure the medals were treated with the respect they deserved.
Uncovering the taonga was a result of his and the WBHS Old Boys’ Association’s motivation to showcase and celebrate the school’s history and legacy, he said.
“This discovery speaks to WBHS’s long legacy and the strength of our community across generations.
“We’ll share more once we’ve completed the verification process.”
Solomon said students had shown respect and curiosity while uncovering the remarkable story.
“Their work alongside our Old Boys speaks to the strength of the relationship between past and present – something that defines who we are as a school.”
The medals, if real, will be housed and displayed at the Fideliter Fellowship Stairwell and showcased at the 150th Jubilee celebrations in 2031.
“This discovery has created genuine excitement across the kura,” Solomon said.
“It’s a powerful reminder that our legacy isn’t just about what has been, but what continues to be – young men learning from those who came before them, and carrying that spirit forward.”
Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
