Thomas Culling

Thomas Grey Culling was born on 31 May 1896 in Dunedin to a notable local family. His father, Thomas Shepherd Culling, was a businessman and local body politician, after whom Dunedin's Culling Park is named. His grandfather, also Thomas Culling, was a printer and paper mill director, and was one of Dunedin's early colonial settlers, arriving in the city just one year after its 1848 founding. His family moved to the Auckland suburb of Remuera in 1906, and he was educated at King's College. ==First World War==

Following the outbreak of the First World War, Culling volunteered for the Samoa Expeditionary Force, then being raised specifically for the capture of German Samoa. However, he was prevented from departing New Zealand by his father, who had contacted authorities, pointing out his age. Only men of 20 years or older were being allowed to serve aboard and Culling was still only 18. The following year, in August, Culling left New Zealand for England to join the Royal Naval Air Service. In September 1916, as a flight sub-lieutenant, ==Notes==