1. Gordon Bridson was in the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and in the Second World War, he served in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
14 Facts About Gordon Bridson
1. 2.
Gordon Bridson was born in Wellington in New Zealand on 2 December 1909.
3.
Gordon Bridson's parents were William Bridson, a manager, and Agnes Bridson.
4.
Gordon Bridson began his naval career in 1927 by enlisting in the Auckland Division of the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in Auckland.
5.
An accomplished swimmer, Gordon Bridson won nine national men's swimming freestyle titles over the 100 yards, 220 yards and 440 yards distances from the period 1929 to 1932.
6.
Gordon Bridson participated in the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario, where, competing for New Zealand, he won silver medals for both the 400 yards and 1,500 yards freestyle.
7.
Gordon Bridson was not immediately mobilised for war service following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.
8.
The next month a group of RNVR personnel, including Gordon Bridson, were dispatched to England to serve in the Royal Navy.
9.
Once in England, Gordon Bridson was given command of HMT Walnut, a Tree-class minesweeper that belonged to the 25th anti-submarine and minesweeping flotilla.
10.
Gordon Bridson was one of several New Zealanders commanding ships in the flotilla.
11.
Gordon Bridson subsequently became friends with the commander of the PT boat.
12.
Gordon Bridson remained in command of Kiwi until May 1944 when he received a temporary promotion to commander and took over as naval officer-in-charge Dunedin.
13.
Gordon Bridson remained in these posts until demobilisation from the RNZN in 1946.
14.
Gordon Bridson was survived by his wife Ada, who he had married in March 1940, and three children.