Grinlington, Dudley
Dudley Albert Grinlington - PO2875.569
408842
Dudley was born in Armadale Melbourne on 10 th April, 1921 and died on the 13 th November, 2006 aged 85. After a nasty fall at his Wye Ribb beach house. It was ironic that having survived many air experiences his last flight was by helicopter to the Alfred Hospital where he passed away.
The early years of Dudley's childhood were spent around Hawthorn and Kew Victoria, where he attended the Peel Street School. Dudley was an excellent scholar. After Peel Street Dud gained early entry to Melbourne High school and was quick to reveal his academic credentials. With his education completed Dud joined the Commonwealth Bank and of course made this his career. Soon after joining the Bank WW2 erupted and Dud enlisted on the 21 st June 1941.
He joined the RAAF and his initial training was at Victor Harbour. On the 13 th November 1941 he sailed from Sydney to San Francisco USA. Dudley celebrated his 21 st Birthday in New York sharing a bottle of milk with his colleagues, having spent his few dollars on family gifts. He moved onto Canada and on 1 st May 1942he was sent to the UK where he served with the RAF at Stations, Uxbridge, Peterborough, Grungeneouth and Ayr where he flew with the 222 squadron.
On the 2 nd December 1942 he sailed from the UK to Australia. He spent a little time in Mildura VIC and then on to Wooloomanata (Laverton) where the 79 th Spitfire Squadron was formed.
In 1943 he flew out of Wolloomanata to PNG where he flew countless missions. Surviving three major air collisions including a rescue by the flying doctor service after ditching his aircraft, due to a glycol leak, on the Nullabor plain. His survival earned him the nick name "Houdini" by his comrades. This photo is taken on Kiriwina Island, Trobriand Islands, Papua 1944. Identification portrait of 408842 Flight Sergeant D.A. (Dudley) Grinlington, Pilot, No 79 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF
The aircraft Mark Vc "Tasmanian Devil" serial A58-178 tail UP-G. This Spitfire piloted by Dudley was built at Castle Bromwich, UK during 1942. Allocated RAF Serial Number JG891 being delivered to the RAF in April 1943. Assigned RAAF Serial Number A58-178. Assigned to 79 Squadron. Nicknamed "Tasmanian devil" while in service with the squadron.
The mission history was that while attempting to land at Kiriwina Airfield, this aircraft flipped on its back while attempting to land in wet and gusty conditions. F/Sgt Grinlington was slightly injured in the crash. After the crash, it was converted to components and abandoned. The wreckage remained at the airfield ironically enough to 1973. It was recovered from Kiriwina Island by Monty Armstrong.
It was then restored and exported to New Zealand having been sold to Don Subritzki in 1975. Subritzki started a composite restoration to flying condition using parts from Spitfire A58-149. It was later in 1999, sold to Karel Bos of Historica Flying Ltd in April of 1999 and shipped top the UK in July 1999 where restoration was completed.
The aircraft if anyone wants to see it is on display at Duxford and owned by Tom Blair. Registered in the UK as G-LFVC.
The aircraft is restored with its original RAF Serial number JG891. It is painted in the markings of TB/JK879 as flown by F/Sgt John G "Jack" Hughes, a RCAF pilot flying with 249 Squadron at Takali in Malta.
Here are two photos of Dudley reading and playing cards while on standby in the Operations/Standby Room on the airfield at Kiriwina August 1943.
One of Dudley's old mates has taken the time to pen a few words about their times together in Squadron 79. David Hopton said," your photo and note of Dudley calls for some action, after all its only 65 years ago! I've had a look at my log books etc and perhaps can give it a try to say a few words about him.
Dudley was a very popular fellow - he was very tall, a good talker and always happy and fitted well into our group.
We did a great deal of stand by duty in our large Alert Hut and I recall the putting up a second black board and teaching young girls and boys our language and we learnt their names and some words - one I remember "issi agna" I wonder what it meant. They were lovely happy kids and often did dances for us. Quite often we would go north to a lovely coral island beach with only our officer caps on. One day four of us to walk to rounding of the island (always a couple of boys with us).
One of them dashed into the foliage and came out with flax leaves and indicated to us to tie them around our privates. Presently 4 or 5 young lasses came around the island. We admired these maturing girls and they giggled at our almost naked bodies and one of our blokes said, "Wouldn't this be something on Bondi Beach"? It was a happy meeting and a photo was taken (alas, now lost).
A few years ago we went to Melbourne and stayed with son Peter and family. I phoned Dudley and Jean and they came for tea at Black Rock, a happy occasion. One last memory, which you may be interested in. We all had nick names and one bright spark came up with Dudley's, which was "Green Long Thing" and mine of course was "Hoppy". Send my hellos to Jean.
To end up this brief story on Dudley we quote his lovely bride Jean, "On the 2nd December 1944 Dudley and Jean married and settled down to suburban life".
