LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant David Beaufort GROUT
Service No: 18590
Born: Brisbane QLD, 9 December 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 September 1940 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 9 Squadron, RAAF Station Rathmines NSW
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 9 Squadron Seagull aircraft A2-16), Lake Macquarie NSW, 22 May 1942, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Newcastle (Sandgate) General Cemetery NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Maj. John William Huggins Grout and Winifred Jane Grout; husband of Amy May Grout, of East Malvern, Victoria A R A T A.
Roll of Honour: Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 99, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Cousin of Flight Lieutenant Leigh Vial (253939).
Pilot Officer Edgar Murray Allison AFC (411847) (Pilot) (Discharged from the RAAF: 8 July 1946), and No. 18590 Sergeant Grout D M (Observer) in Seagull A2-16 were involved in an aircraft accident, as a result of which Sergeant Grout was killed and Pilot Officer Allison was injured. The accident occurred at approximately 0845 hours GMT (1845 hours Local) when the Pilot was attempting to make a landing. This was this officer’s first night solo flight, and on landing, the aircraft appeared to swing violently and then turn over. Sergeant Grout’s body was recovered when the aircraft was brought ashore. The Funeral Service was conducted at Sandgate on 25 May 1942.
Extract from No 9 Squadron Operations Record Book Sheet 109 dated May 1942.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9301, 18590
Bibliography:
Gillett, R. (Ross) Wings Across the Sea: the first ever complete history of naval aviation from the first world war to the present, Aerospace Publications, 1988