Date of birth - 19 Mar 1922
Place of birth - MELBOURNE VIC
Place of enlistment - SYDNEY
Next of Kin - BLACKIE WALTER
Aircraft Record
A58-120 F.VC EE676
Arrived in Australia on SS Sarp 24/02/42. Rec 1AD ex UK 24/02/43. Issued 7AD ex 1AD 30/03/43. Rec 2OTU ex 7AD 04/04/43. Training accident 1132 hrs (0132hrs(zulu)) 27/04/43, when EE676 (piloted by Sgt Raymond Jack Blackie Serv#403309) collided mid air during a line astern attack with BS232 (Piloted by Sgt D A Grinlington Serv#408842 who survived and landed safely)and spun into the ground about 3 miles southwest of Williamtown NSW, killing the pilot. AMSE Approval per File#9/16/816 Min#5 for conversion to components 03/06/43.
COLLISION OF TWO SPITFIRES
3 MILES SW OF WILLIAMTOWN AIRFIELD, NSW ON 27 APRIL 1943
At 0132Z hours on 27 April 1943, two F.VC Spitfires from No. 2 Operational Training Unit (2 OTU) at Mildura, on detachment to Williamtown in New South Wales, collided whilst reforming to do some line astern chase training exercise 3 miles south west of Williamtown Airfield, killing 21 year old pilot, Sergeant Raymond Jack Blackie (403309) when his Spitfire A58-120 (EE676) spun into the ground. Sgt Dudley Albert Grinlington (408842) in Spitfire A58-93 (BS232) was able to land safely and received no injuries.
The RAAF "Preliminary Report (External) of Flying Accident or Forced Landing" showed the Probable Cause as "Carelessness and error of judgement". However Norman Crook who was posted to Williamtown as an Armourer Assistant and was present when the accident happened has a more detailed recollection of the cause of the collision.
Norman explained that one Spitfire went up and over losing power, and then fell backwards toward the ground. The other Spitfire then cut off the falling Spitfire's tail which attached itself to the cannon which both Spitfires had on one wing each. The Spitfire which had the tail attached piloted by Sgt Dudley Grinlington, then landed which Norman said was a miracle in itself.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author would like to thank John Lever for his assistance with details of this crash. John Lever is the author of a number of books on RAAF Operational Training Units. [Extracted from website - Oz at Warhttp://www.ozatwar/ozcrashes/nsw.htm]
