New Zealand man travels across the world to honour Second World War hero

An 80-year-old New Zealand man has travelled across the world to pay his respects to a family friend who died in the Second World War and was laid to rest in Campbeltown.

 

Peter Cooper from Auckland was joined by members of the Campbeltown branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland (RBLS) when he visited the grave of Lieutenant (A) Victor Selwyn Curd at Kilkerran Cemetery earlier this month.

 

A pilot with the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve, Victor died on July 4 1944, aged 27, after crashing into a mountainside near Campbeltown.

 

Although he has no memory of Victor, who died the year after he was born, Peter has always wanted to visit the war hero's final resting place.

 

"attachment_962506" "aligncenter" "225"] Victor's is one of more than 100 Commonwealth war graves within Kilkerran Cemetery.

 

The pair are connected through a family business, Cooper and Curd Ltd, which was established in 1905 by Peter's grandfather, Conrad Cooper, a coachbuilder, and Victor's father, Henry Curd, a blacksmith.

 

Located 30 miles south of Auckland, the company originally made horse-drawn coaches and later became a motor car dealership and hardware retailer.

 

Of his long-held desire to visit the grave, Peter told the Courier: “I had a daughter and son-in-law living in Peterborough and have visited the UK in your summer many times. They have now returned to New Zealand and, as this may be my final trip to the UK, I was prompted to make this pilgrimage – it has long been on my to-do list.”

 

RBLS Campbeltown members Sam McLeod, Billy Morran and Bruce Strang joined Peter at the graveside to help him honour Victor's memory and sacrifice, for which he thanks them.

 

Peter stayed at the Dellwood Hotel, owned by Bruce and his wife Tracey, during his time in Campbeltown and he also wishes to thank the couple and staff member Fay Cook for putting him in touch with the RBLS.

 

Asked how it felt to finally fulfil the poignant task, Peter said: “I was very pleased the way it turned out, it was far above my expectations and it will be an occasion never forgotten.”

 

He added: “I found Campbeltown a lovely place. The people are so friendly and helpful; shopping, dining, chatting to bypassers in the street, everyone was positive and pleasant, it has a great feel to it, and the weather was tops.

 

“Perhaps if any of your readers have further interest in Victor Curd they could search ‘Victor S Curd Auckland War Memorial Museum’ online.

 

“Victor's now deceased niece Carolyn provided considerable formal and social information that the museum has included in its online site.”

 

"attachment_962509" "aligncenter" "300"] Peter Cooper was touched by the friendly and helpful people of Campbeltown during his trip.