Taylor, Sir Gordon (1896-1966), an Australian pilot, is best known for a heroic act he performed in 1935. As Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s aircraft Southern Cross flew over the Tasman Sea, Taylor crawled out onto the wing to feed oil to a failing engine. For this feat of daring, Taylor won the Empire Gallantry Medal (exchanged for the George Cross in 1942).
Taylor was a pilot in both World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). He was navigator with Kingsford Smith in 1934 when they made the first eastbound transpacific flight. Taylor made the first flight across the Indian Ocean from Australia to Kenya. He, his crew, and two passengers made the flight in 1939 in the Guba, a twin-engined Catalina flying boat.
Patrick Gordon Taylor was born on Oct. 2, 1896, in Sydney. He was knighted in 1954. He died on Dec. 16, 1966.
