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40716 Flight Lieutenant John William COATES
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Coates of Taumarunui
John Coates was born at Dalby, Queensland, on the 23rd March 1912. He received his secondary education at the New Plymouth Boys' High School, afterwards being engaged in farming with his father at Taumaruni. He was still in this employment at the time of applying for enlistment in Aircrew, on the 17th October 1939. Flight lieutenant Coates was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 12th March 1940, and proceeded to the Training Squadron at Ohakea on the 8th April. Here, on the 24th May he was awarded the Air Gunner's badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. While overseas, he was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 5th July 1941, promoted to Flying Officer on the 5th July 1942, and granted the acting rank of Flight Lieutenant on the 6th January 1943. Meantime, late in May 1940, he embarked for the United Kingdom. Flight Lieutenant Coates, arrived at No. 1 Depot, Uxbridge, on the 10th July and proceeded a few days later to No. 15 Operational Training Unit, Harwell, Berkshire. After crewing up and completion of his training, he served with Nos. 214 and 99 Squadrons of Bomber command completing an operational tour before posting on the 23rd June 1941 to No. 27 Operational Training Unit, Lichfield, Staffordshire. Here he again crewed up before proceeding on the 31st March 1942 to No. 1653 Conversion Unit, Snaith, Yorkshire. He embarked for overseas by air on the 1st June, proceeding by way of the Middle East and arrived at Karachi on the 7th October, being posted to No. 159 Squadron at Salbani a few days later, for operational flying. Flight Lieutenant Coates was a member of the crew
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of a Liberator Aircraft engaged during the night of the 22nd and 23rd February 1943 in an attack on Mingaladon Aerodrome in Burma. The Aircraft failed to return to its base and all the crew including Flight Lieutenant Coates, were classified as missing. No subsequent information regarding whether the Aircraft or its crew has been received, and in due course the death of Flight Lieutenant Coates is presumed to have occurred on the 23rd February 1943, as the result of air operations. The crew of the Aircraft contained one other New Zealander, Flight Lieutenant N. H. Maul of Palmerston North.
5/2/3179 A S 2 No log book Mrs. F. M. Coates (mother) TAUMARUNUI
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40819 Flying Officer Jack Rua COATH Widow: Mrs. F. S. Coath of Dillons Point, BLENHEIM
Jack Coath was born at Rakaia on the 7th December 1909. He received his secondary education at King's College, Auckland, reaching matriculation standard. He passed for his "A" License in October 1938 and had completed 120 hours flying before entering the Air Force. From the time of leaving college in 1926, until applying for enlistment in aircrew, on the outbreak of war, he was employed as a Bank Officer by the Bank of New Zealand at Auckland.
Flying Officer Coath was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 11th March 1940 and posted to New Plymouth on the 8th April for his elementary flying training; then, on the 3rd June, to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, Blenheim. Here, on the 9th August he was awarded the Flying badge and commissioned in the rank of pilot officer on the 23rd September. Later, while serving at New Plymouth, he was promoted to Flying Officer on the 23rd September 1941. Meantime, on the 4th October 1940, he had proceeded to Flying Instructors School at Hobsonville qualifyin there before posting on the 12th November, to New Plymouth, for duty as a flying instructor.
Flying officer Coath was the pilot of a Tiger Moth aircraft, which crashed at Stratford on the 12th October 1941, during a training flight, Flying Officer Coath losing his life. He was buried in the Cemetery at New Plymouth.
18/1/282 A.S.2. No Logbook
Mrs. F. S. Coath (W) c/o F.W.H. Pattie Esq., Dillons Point, BLENHEIM.
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412315 Flight Sergeant Cyril Thomas COBB PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. F. Cobb of Thames.
Cyril Cobb was born at Thames on the 7th May, 1912, and received his secondary education at the Thames High School. He was a member of the first XV at school and later was interested in tennis. On leaving school he was employed as a mercer's assistant in Thames and at the time of application for aircrew training - on the 31st January, 1940 - he was employed by E.V. Slyfield, Paeroa as a mercer's assistant.
F/Sgt. Cobb was enlisted on the 13th April, 1941, at the Initial Training Wing, Levin. On completion of his initial training he embarked for Canada on the 26th May, 1941, to train as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner under the Empire Training Scheme.
Shortly after arrival in Canada he was posted - on the 16th June, 1941, to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and on the 21st November to No. 8 Bombing and Gunnery School, Lethbridge, Alberta. At the latter school he was awarded his Wireless Operator Air Gunners Badge and promoted to Sergeant on the 22nd December, 1941. On the 1st April, 1943, he was promoted to Flight Sergeant. He proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 4th January 1942 for embarkation to the United Kingdom.
F/Sgt. Cobb arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 20th January, 1942 and late the following month he proceeded to No. 1 Signals School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire, and then - on the 4th April, 1942 - to No. 9 Air Observers School, Penrhos, Caenarvonshire, where he trained on Anson aircraft. On the 27th May, 1942, he proceeded to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Steeple Mordon, Hertfordshire, where he crewed up and completed his training on Wellington aircraft. On the completion of the course late in August, 1942, he was posted to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, for conversion to Stirling Aircraft, before proceeding - on the 22nd September, 1942 - to No. 214 Squadron, Stradishall,
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F/SGT. COBB: 2.
Suffolk. Early the following month he was attached for a fortnight to No. 1657 Conversion Unit at Stradishall.
Late in October 1942, operating from the nearby satellite aerodrome of Chedburgh, F/Sgt. Cobb took part in two mine laying operations as a Wireless Operator on Stirling aircraft. On the 13th November, 1942, he proceeded to No. 90 Squadron, Ridgewell, Essex, and from this Station he carried out a further minelaying operational flight. Early in February, 1943, he was posted to No. 75 (N.Z.) Squadron, Newmarket, Suffolk. From Newmarket, he carried out a further seven operational flights, the targets on these occasions including Kiel, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Mannheim, in Germany and St. Nazaire, France. He also took part in a minelaying operation near the Frisian Islands.
F/Sgt. Cobb was the Wireless Operator of a Stirling aircraft which took off on air operations to Rostock in Germany on the night of 20/21st April, 1943, and failed to return to its base. This was his eleventh operational flight. A message received early the following morning indicated that the starboard engine was on fire. No further news was received and all the members of the crew, including Flight Sergeant Cobb were classified as missing. Information was later received through the International Red Cross Committee that Flight Sergeant Cobb's body had been washed ashore in Denmark, and consequently he was reclassified missing believed killed in action. Further information received indicated that F/Sergeant Cobb was buried in the Gravelund Cemetery, near Esbjerg, Denmark. In due course his death was presumed to have occurred on the 21st April, 1943. Other New Zealanders in the crew who also lost their lives were Pilot Officer A. G. Tolley of Wellington, Sergeant F.W. Upton of Christchurch, and Sergeant I. Salt of Wellington.
5/2/3910 AS2 317 hours as Wireless Operator Air Gunner.
Mr. F. Cobb (F) Bird-in-hand Hill, THAMES.