Gordon John Grindell
From Steve Brew
Historian for 41 (F) Squadron
With reference to your page https://lostnyabing.com/sutherland-family/, the George Grindell that is mentioned was actually New Zealander Gordon (not George) John Grindell. He was born in Geraldine, NZ, on 20 Aug 1910 and travelled to the UK in 1930 to join the RAF. After his flying training, he was posted to 23 (F) Squadron at Biggin Hill in August 1933, and then to 41 (F) Squadron at Northolt in September 1935.
At the time, 41 Squadron was about to embark for deployment to Aden during the Abyssinian Crisis (The Italian invasion of Ethiopia). He sailed with them but was posted back to the UK in March 1936 to undertake a flying instructor’s course. He was granted a Permanent Commission as a Flight Lieutenant in September 1938 and transferred to 12 FTS at Grantham three months later.
In 1939, now a Squadron Leader, he became the Officer Commanding of 5 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) at Sealand and, in August 1940, transferred to the Air Staff of Headquarters, Flying Training Command. He was awarded an Air Force Cross (AFC) for his time at 5 SFTS in October 1940.
He was promoted to Wing Commander in September 1941 and commanded 487 (NZ) Squadron between December 1942 and May 1943, for which he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).* He was then given command of RAF Fiskerton, which he held until May 1944 when he was posted to Melbourne, Australia, as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the RAF Mission to Australia and New Zealand. Grindell saw out the war in this role and returned to England in January 1947.
Following a tenure at Biggin Hill, he was posted to Singapore as the Officer Commanding, Far East Transport Wing at Changi in 1950, and while there was awarded a Bar to his AFC. He is believed to have fulfilled this role until his retirement as a Group Captain in August 1954.
After a brief return to New Zealand, he emigrated to Western Australia to farm in April 1955 and is believed to have purchased res the 1,700 ha Aorangi Farm at Chinocup in 1962 (cattle brand ‘G1G’). He is believed to have been estranged from his family during this period as his English wife Winifred arrived in Perth by air on 13 March 1966. According to her immigration card, her reason for travel was to be with her ‘very ill husband’, and she states that she had not previously been to Australia and had spent all her life in England.
He died in Katanning Hospital on 15 March 1966 (two days after his wife’s arrival), aged just fifty-five. His cause of death is unknown but may have been cancer. He was buried in Grave 468 of the Anglican Section of Katanning Cemetery.
[Personal note: I am not related to Grindell, but I am the Historian for 41 (F) Squadron and have researched him as one of 200 interwar pilots, and thought you may find this of interest. Do let me know if you would like any further information on Grindell, which I will be happy to provide.]
Gordon John Grindell. Gordon John Grindell