BLACKIE, Raymond Jack
| Service Number: | 403309 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 January 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, 19 March 1922 |
| Home Town: | Bondi, Waverley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | North Bondi,NSW; Ararat District HIgh scool, Victoria; Randwick Intermediate High School, NSW |
| Occupation: | Assistant Motor Mechanic |
| Died: | Accidental plane crash, Williamtown, New Wouth Wales, Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia, 27 April 1943, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Newcastle (Sandgate) War Cemetery Plot E, Row D, Grave 10, Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Sergeant, 403309 | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jan 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 403309, Sydney, New South Wales | |
| 6 Jan 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, 403309 | |
| 17 Jul 1941: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 403309, Embarked at Sydney, New South Wales for UK and Canada |
Help us honour Raymond Jack Blackie's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
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Father Walter Jack Blackie and Mother Mabel Florence Blackie,
lived at Bondi, New South Wales.
Sports played: Swimming, Football, Cricket, Shooting
Flew with the Aero Club, New South Wales
Attended:
North Bondi Public Primary School, NSW
Ararat Disctrict High School, VIC
Randwick Inter High School, NSW
Described on enlisting as 18 years 9 months of age; single; 5' 4" tall; 130 lbs;
medium complexion; grey eyes; dark hair; Church of England
06/01/1941 enlisted into WWII RAAF in Sydney, NSW
Appointed as a Sergeant with 2 Operational Training Unit, Mildura
17/07/1941 embarked at Sydney for Canada and UK
08/11/1941 received Flying Badge
20/11/1941 embarked for UK ex Canada
07/12/1941 disembarked at Halifax
22/02/1943 disembarked at Melbourne ex UK and USA for overseas
Plane was a Spitfire EE676 near Williamtown, New South Wales
At 01320 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.
27/04/1943 died in plane accident
buried in: Sandgate War Cemetery, Sandgate, Newcastle, NSW
Plot E. Row D. Grave 10
His name is commemorated on Panel 112 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.
Submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 10/03/2017. Lest we forget.
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