KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 23, 22 October 1942, Page 4

KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE

A casualty list published yesterday included the name of Flying Officer W. J. L. Lauchlan, Wellington, reported killed on active service. He was 31 years of age, the only son of the late Mr. J. B. Lauchlan, Rakau Road, Hataitai, and nephew of the late Mr. George Lauchlan, assistant manager of the Wellington electric light department.

Flying Officer Lauchlan was born in Palmerston North, and received his education at Scots College, Wellington. After leaving college he was employed for some time on the Wellington staff of the Bank of New South Wales, and left that service to go into business with his father, being for some time manager of the Courtenay Place branch of J. B. Lauchlan and Co., watchmakers and jewellers. A few years ago he went to Australia to try his fortune there, and when war broke out was managing a copra plantation near Rabaul, New Britain, for Burns, Philp and Co. He then returned to New Zealand, and enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He was commissioned in November last year, and was till recently stationed in New Zealand. He was well known in cricket and golf circles in Wellington, playing on a low handicap as a member of the Shandon Golf Club. He is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Iredale Trent, of Nelson, . and her baby daughter.