Indeed wonderful and very moving.
The Yorkshire Post article gives the date as 5 March 1945.
On that date the O.C. of 111 Squadron was Sqn Ldr B.F.G. Darby D.F.C. That officer was K.I.A. three days later on 8 March 1945 and he was buried at Argenta Gap War Cemetery.
The Argenta Gap War Cemetery is one of the larger Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Italy. The cemetery holds 625 war graves - most of them graves of soldiers that were killed in the northern part of Italy during the last few months of World War II. Quite a number of higher ranking officers are buried at this cemetery.
http://www.euro-t-guide.com/See_Coun...metery_5-1.htm
If Warrant Officer Coates is buried there too, he will be in good company.