4

HD/NF
421318: Sergeant Dudley Dobson COATES
WIFE: Mrs. W. Coates of Napier (1 child)
FATHER: Mr. W. T. Coates of Gisborne

Dudley Coates was born on the 21st September, 1909,
at Napier, and received his secondary education at Te Karaka
District High School, where he attained Intermediate Standard.
The sports in which he was actively interested included rugby,
rowing, athletics, and tennis. He was a representative of
Poverty Bay in three of the former. On leaving school he took
up employment at The Gisborne Times, as a linotype operator.
At the time of his making application for aircrew training - on
the 9th April, 1941 - he was employed in the same capacity by
The Daily Telegraph Ltd., Napier. He served in the Territorials
for 3 years.
Sgt. Coates was enlisted at Rotorua on 25th February,
1942, and, on satisfactorily completing his initial training,
embarked for Canada on the 27th April, 1942.
Shortly after arrival in Canada Sgt. Coates was posted
to No. 4 Air Observers' School, London, Ontario, where he was
awarded the air navigators badge and promoted to the rank of
Sergeant on 11th September, 1942. On completion of the course
at this schoolm he was posted to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova
Scotia, for embarkation to the United Kingdom.
Sgt. Coates arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre,
Bournemouth, on the 9th October, 1942, and shortly afterwards was
posted to No. 9 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, Penrhos,
Caernarvonshire. On the 29th September he proceeded to No. 11
Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire, where he
trained as a navigator on Wellington bomber aircraft. On the 23rd
March, 1943, he was posted to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Waterbeach,