Herbert William Lloyd CB CMG CVO (1883 - 1957)

Biography

Major General Bertie Lloyd CB CMG CVO DSO ED was a senior Australian Army officer who served in both the First and Second World Wars. He was also a businessman and a New South Wales parliamentarian.

Herbert William Lloyd was born on 18th November 1883 in South Yarra, Victoria (Australia). He was only child of Irish-born parents William Lloyd, a mounted constable (later sergeant) in the Victoria Police, and his wife Fanny Mills. ^[1] Herbert was educated at Thomas Palmer's University High School and at Wesley College. He joined the Commonwealth Treasury as a clerk on 26th June 1902.

Commissioned in Australia's Field Artillery (Militia) in 1906 as a Lieutenant, he was promoted to Captain in 1909. On 31st March 1910 he resigned from the public service, and the following day entered the permanent military forces.

Herbert married Meredith Pleasents, daughter of Colonel William Pleasents, on 27th May 1914 in the Methodist Church (now Uniting Church), Redfern, New South Wales; ^[2] the service being officiated at by the Reverend H Jones. ^[3]

Bert transferred to the Australian Imperial Force on 18th August 1914 with the rank of Captain; as adjutant of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade (FAB). With the 1st FAB, he landed at Gallipoli on 4th May 1915. On the Western Front from 1916 to 1918 he received appointments as brigade major and, following promotions to Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, brigade commander. On 8th November 1918, he assumed command of the 5th Division Artillery, being promoted to temporary Brigadier General. A few weeks later he was transferred to 1st Division Artillery. Bert returned to Australia in April 1919. ^[4]

Herbert Lloyd was deservedly appointed:

• Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1915, ^[5][6]
• Member of the Serbian Order of the White Eagle (fourth class) in February 1917, ^[7]
• Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in June 1917, ^[8][9] and
• Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in June 1919. ^[10][11]

He was four times Mentioned in Despatches (equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry) in November 1915, ^[12] January 1917, ^[13] June 1917 ^[14] and July 1919. ^[15]

After the war Bert was appointed Chief Inspector of Field Artillery from July to November 1919, Director of Artillery from November 1919 to March 1920, and general staff officer Artillery from April to September 1920. He acted as transport officer for the 1920 visit to Australia of the then Prince of Wales. For this latest service to the Royal Family, Bert was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO). ^[16][17] Maintaining his commission in the militia, in 1925 he pursued commerce, obtaining a post with Vacuum Oil Co. Pty Ltd. He was later appointed managing director of Australian Soaps Ltd.

As a member of the Nationalist Party, Herbert Lloyd was elected in 1929 to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Parramatta. He was defeated in the 1930 election but in 1932 won the seat of Mosman as a United Australia Party candidate, holding the seat until he was defeated at the 1941 state election. Of course, 1932 was the year that the Sydney landscape and travel possibilities changed dramatically with the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Mobilised at the outbreak of the Second World War, from May to July 1940, he held the post of Director General of Army Recruiting, before tackling Deputy Adjutant General at Army Headquarters and then assuming command of the 2nd Division, a militia formation. In September 1943 he was appointed commander of the 1st Division, another militia division. Aged 62 years, he retired from the military on 1st February 1946 with the rank of Major General. ^[18]

Upon retirement from the Army, Bert and Meredith moved into the historic home Cloncorrick, 32 Darling Point Road, Darling Point, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. ^[19]

Once more entering into civilian life, Bert became a board member of several companies, including the Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd.

Having been widowered for five years, and aged 73 years, Bert passed away in 10th August 1957 in the Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales; ^[20] being survived by daughter Jane Meredith and his two sons, Derek 'Mick' and unknown. Following a funeral service in St Mark's Church of England (Anglican Church), Darling Point, his ashes were interred at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, New South Wales. A fine obituary in The Canberra Times read:

"Major-General Herbert William Lloyd died In the General Repatriation Hospital, Concord, to-day. He was born in Melbourne in 1883. Major-General Lloyd was at the Gallipoli landings and later in France, where he was awarded the DSO. He retired from the Army in 1925 and took to commerce. He was a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for two periods - 1929-30 and 1932-41." ^[21]

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #26586/1883
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #5618/1914
3. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954) Sat 20 Jun 1914 Page 18
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Colonel Herbert William Lloyd; accessed 22 Mar 2019
5. ↑ Australian Honours: DSO; accessed 3 Mar 2022
6. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; DSO; accessed 22 Mar 2019
7. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; Serbian Order of the White Eagle; accessed 22 Mar 2019
8. ↑ Australian Honours: CMG; accessed 3 Mar 2022
9. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; CMG; accessed 22 Mar 2019
10. ↑ Australian Honours: CB; accessed 3 Mar 2022
11. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; CB; accessed 22 Mar 2019
12. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; Mention in Despatches; accessed 22 Mar 2019
13. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; Mention in Despatches; accessed 22 Mar 2019
14. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; Mention in Despatches; accessed 22 Mar 2019
15. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards; Mention in Despatches; accessed 22 Mar 2019
16. ↑ Australian Honours: CVO; accessed 3 Mar 2022
17. ↑ London Gazette 15 October 1920 Issue: 32086 Page: 9987; accessed 22 Mar 2019
18. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: VX133091 (N30118, V1751) Major General Herbert William Lloyd
19. ↑ Cloncorrick; accessed 3 Mar 2022
20. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #20192/1957
21. ↑ The Canberra Times (ACT: 1926-1995) Mon 12 Aug 1957 Page 5

See also

• New South Wales Parliament: Herbert William Lloyd; accessed 22 Mar 2019.
• Perry, Warren. Lloyd, Herbert William (1883–1957). Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2000; accessed online 9 Jun 2018.
• Thompson, R M. Artillery History: Australian Gunner Obituary Resource: Major General Herbert William Lloyd; accessed 3 Mar 2022.
• Wikipedia profile: Herbert William Lloyd; accessed 22 Mar 2019.