Dudley Dobson Coates
Born 21 Sept 1909 - Died 25 May 1943
- Service number
- NZ421318 AWMM
- WWII 421318 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Sergeant (Navigator) AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 75 (NZ) Squadron AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Dudley Dobson AWMM
- Surname
- Coates AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- NZ421318 AWMM
- WWII 421318 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 21 Sept 1909 RNZAF Biographies (R17845609)
- Date of birth
- b. 1909Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 25 June 2023 - NZ BDM Birth records
- Place of birth
- GisbornePublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 6 May 2023 - NZ BDM Birth & Marriage Records
- Birth notes
- Son of William Thomas Coates and Ethel Coates, of Puha, GisbornePublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 6 May 2023 - NZ BDM Birth & Marriage Records
- Address before enlistment
- Napier, previously of GisbornePublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 25 June 2023 - Newspaper Report
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- WW2 Widow: Mrs W. Coates of Naiper ( 1 child ) AWMM
- WW2 Father: Mr. W. T. Coates of Gisbourne. AWMM
- Relationship status
- Married/WWII AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Married AWMM
- 1939 Dudley Dobson COATES married Wilma Zenda PALTRIDGEPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 6 May 2023 - NZ BDM Birth & Marriage Records
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- Europe (Air) AWMM
- Europe (Air) AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- NZ421318 AWMM
- WWII 421318 AWMM
- Military service
- British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, No. 4 Air Observer School, London, Ontario, Canada AWMM
Course 1: Class 51. Graduation Date: 11/09/1942. AWMM - Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- Royal Air Force, No. 75 (NZ) Squadron AWMM
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- —
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- —
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Vessel was Uruguay AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Killed on air operations AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Sergeant (Navigator) AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 75 (NZ) Squadron AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Son of William Thomas Coates and Ethel Coates of Puha, Te Karaka, Gisborne; husband of Wilna Coates, of Wellington
He was living in Napier at the time of his enlistment.
Attended Te Karaka District High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845609)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 25 May 1943 AWMM
Age 33 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Oostende New Communal Cemetery, Oostende, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium AWMM Plot 9 Row 5 Grave 17 AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- Sergeant Dudley D. Coates, formerly of Napier, who is now reported missing believed killed on air operations, was formerly a member of the staff of the Napier Daily Telegraph, Company Limited as a linotype operator, going to Napier from the Gisborne Times in 1938. Early in 1942 he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and after a few weeks left for Canada and England, where he joined a bomber squadron, which was subsequently engaged in some of the mass raids on enemy-occupied terntory. it was during one of these raids that he was reported missing. Sergeant Coates was prominent in Gisborne sporting circles, representing the district at Rugby football and was secretary of the Old Boys Football Club. In England ,he was a member of the unbeaten Air Force team. An all-round athlete, he held numerous field and track titles of the Poverty Bav Amateur Athletic Club, including the 100, 220 and 440 yards championships and the long jump, high jump and pole vault titles He also represented the Gisborne Rowing Club and in addition was in the first flight of tennis is this district, and a good shot. In addition to his wife and young daughter he leaves to mourn then loss his father, who lives in Puha. and three brothers and one sisterPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 25 June 2023 - GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXX, ISSUE 21234, 25 OCTOBER 1943, PAGE 4
- Coates— Killed on active service, Sgt. Dudley Dobson, R.N.Z.A.F., dearly beloved husband of Wilma Coates, Delhi Road, Napier, and third son of Mr. and the late Mrs. W. T. Coates, of Puha, Gisborne; aged 33 years. Interred at OstendPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 6 May 2023 - GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXX, ISSUE 21228, 18 OCTOBER 1943, PAGE 1
- Sergeant Dudley D. Coates, formerly of Napier, who is now reported missing believed killed on air operations, was formerly a member of the staff of the Napier Daily Telegraph, Company Limited as a linotype operator, going to Napier from the Gisborne Times in 1938. Early in 1942 he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and after a few weeks left for Canada and England, where he joined a bomber squadron, which was subsequently engaged in some of the mass raids on enemy-occupied terntory. it was during one of these raids that he was reported missing. Sergeant Coates was prominent in Gisborne sporting circles, representing the district at Rugby football and was secretary of the Old Boys Football Club. In England ,he was a member of the unbeaten Air Force team. An all-round athlete, he held numerous field and track titles of the Poverty Bav Amateur Athletic Club, including the 100, 220 and 440 yards championships and the long jump, high jump and pole vault titles He also represented the Gisborne Rowing Club and in addition was in the first flight of tennis is this district, and a good shot. In addition to his wife and young daughter he leaves to mourn then loss his father, who lives in Puha. and three brothers and one sister
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Gisborne First World War Memorial, The Esplanade, Kaiti, Gisborne AWMM
- Te Karaka War Memorial, corner of Main and Station Roads, Te Karaka, Gisborne AWMM
Sources
- External links
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2081890
Sources Used - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Co - Dy. Archives New Zealand (R17845609)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845609
Sources Used - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. Archives New Zealand (R17845747)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845747
Sources Used - New Zealand War Graves Trust
https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
Further Reference - https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/51840Public - Antonio - Researcher - 23 October 2022 - web research
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
- References
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- This record is a work in progress and was partially compiled from the “Database of New Zealand Airmen who took part in Advanced Air Training in Canada during WW2”. Researched by Ivan and Lorna Lindsey of Tauranga. N.Z. 2003 – 2012. Reproduced with permission.
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Co - Dy. Archives New Zealand (R17845609) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [Missing - But Presumed Dead on Lapse of Time - Officers, Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845743)
- Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [List of Missing]. Archives New Zealand (R17845747)
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762).
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