Violet Greville (Centre)

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DescriptionViolet Greville, the girl from Hokitika, along with her sisters lived in dangerous times. Not only did their father die unexpectedly when they were children but their mother died when they were getting ready for marriage, in Violet's case three months before the big day. Further, throughout their adult lives, there were wars (the Boer War and the First and Second World Wars). In WW11, Violet's two sons were fighter pilots in the Royal Air Force, both Squadron Leaders. The eldest, Wilfrid, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross but later became a Prisoner of War of the Japanese. According to the family, he was never the same. Violet's youngest was shot down on D-Day (1945) and became a PoW of the Germans but was killed. Violet's older sister, Daisey, lost her only son, Bill, when his bomber was shot down. She herself was killed in a car accident when she was a passenger in a car driven by her 17-year-old daughter. Sadie (left) married Reg White, one of our early aviators at a time when we had not quite worked out how to fly and survive. See for yourself. Go to http://ngataonga.org.nz/set/item/392. She was wise. She told him if you want to marry me then give up flying. And he did. Such is love. Violet married Allan Clouston, a very handsome man and a very good golfer. His father, Robert, was Violet's manager at the DIC (department store) in Wellington. Robert was the illegitimate offspring of a Clouston laird from Orkney Isles. Robert, along with more than 2 million Scots left Scotland for a better life. Australia was his destination. Violet's life was one of ups and downs, with too many of the latter. She was a wonderful Gran, much loved by yours truly. She lived with my family in Whangarei where she lies in state, well not quite. Date of Photoc1905

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