Coates, John Edward (Flying Officer, b.1912 - d.1942)

Collection relating to the Second Word War service of 404956 Flying Officer John Edward Coates, 106 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia and the United Kingdom, 1941-1942.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one flying log book of Flying Officer John Edward Coates, containing entries dated between 8 March 1941 and 15 August 1942. It covers the period of Flying Officer Coates’ training in Australia and the United Kingdom and service with 106 Squadron, based in the United Kingdom. The entries record details such as dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, other crewmembers, and purposes of flights. Some of the recorded purposes of flights include service flying training, operational training, cross country flights, and bombing operations on targets in enemy-occupied Europe. This log book also contains pressed eucalyptus leaves and flowers.

Flying Officer John Edward Coates enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 5 January 1941, after previously serving in the militia. He undertook pilot training in Australia, and completed his operational training in the United Kingdom. Flying Officer Coates went on to serve as a pilot with 106 Squadron, based in the United Kingdom. With this unit, he participated in bombing operations targeting strategic locations in enemy-occupied Europe. On 16 August 1942, Flying Officer Coates and his crew were undertaking a bombing operation targeting Dusseldorf, Germany, when they were killed in a flying battle. Flying Officer Coates is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Germany.