Flying heroes of WWII honoured in city artwork

COMMEMORATION: Artist Warren Houston with the Chorus box he has painted to commemorate Lloyd Allan Trigg for whom Trigg Ave is named. PHOTOS/STEPHEN PARKER

Two New Zealand World War II pilots have been commemorated in paint on streets named after them.

Rotorua artist Warren Houston, a former Air Force serviceman himself, said he was waiting for the Chorus boxes on Trigg Ave and Kain Ave to become available in the national Cabinet Art Programme as he had what he considered the ideal concept.

"Warbirds are my passion," he said.

"When I saw these two come up I thought it would be a wonderful way to commemorate them."

The Trigg Ave box has been painted to remember Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg who was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously.

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"He was searching for U-boats," Mr Houston said.

"He attacked one and then he got shot down and the whole crew was killed. The boat captain survived and contacted the UK to tell them about the bravery and he (Trigg) was awarded the VC based on information from the German captain."

The other box features another hero, Cobber Kain, who was a Kiwi fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force.

Kain became a household name in the UK for his victories in the skies. He was later ordered to return home due to exhaustion and intended to pilot a Miles Magister to England across the English Channel.

In a gesture to his comrades he took off in a Hurricane to perform a series of low-level aerobatics but crashed and was killed.

Mr Houston said he would also be keen to paint the Ward Ave Chorus box, as James Allen Ward was his "boyhood hero".

"It's a great thing Chorus is doing," he said.

"It's been amazing, while I was painting, people were stopping and talking to me about it. It's great that we can tell them the stories and a wonderful way to commemorate them."