Info - Jerome Dauk RCAF, Squadron 424

I am researching the WWII RCAF record of my Great Uncle Jerome Dauk, Squadron 424 and would deeply appreciate any supplemental details anyone may have regarding his service. Jerome's older sister is still alive at 90 and is interested in anything I can uncover.

Jerome (Hironimus Dominik Alouise) was killed on a night bombing mission targeting Formia, Italy, October 01 - October 2, 1943. As best as I can determine, his Wellington was never recovered and probably crashed over the Mediterranean Sea claiming all those on board. He is memorialized in Malta. I have seen my great uncle's flight/operations log book but there are still many unanswered questions. Does anyone have more detailed accounts of Jerome's final mission and does anybody have any personal recollections of training/flying with Jerome (Canada, UK, North Africa)? I would be thrilled to come across any of the following:

- plane serial number
- plane nose art
- any squadron photos of Jerome
- was plane recovered?
- did plane reach target?
- were there eyewitness accounts/notes of this mission and/or his plane?

[FONT=&quot]The RCAF 424 Squadron members who perished that night are listed below (and likely from the same crew):
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Hironimus Dominik Alouise DAUK, R/132181, Flight Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Force, 424 Squadron, died 2nd October 1943, aged 22 years. Son of Arnold and Frances Dauk, of Annaheim, Saskatchewan, Canada.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Irwin Andrew MARTIN, R/128247, Flight Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Force, 424 Squadron, died 2nd October 1943, aged 20 years. The son of Mr and Mrs William S. Martin, of Herschel, Saskatchewan, Canada[FONT=&quot][/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Joseph Richard COTE, R/142131, Flight Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Force, 424 Squadron, died 2nd October 1943.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Edward Francis WARR, R/156101, Flight Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Force, 424 Squadron, died 2nd October 1943, aged 27 years. Son of Bertram H. and Mary T. Warr, of Toronto, Canada.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]George David DODSON, 1432169, Sergeant, Royal Air Force (V.R.), 424 Squadron, died 2nd October 1943.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


Kind Regards,

Brian Olson
brianolson81@yahoo.com

 

Search Details - Veterans Affairs Canada


You can also order his service records, a "gen" package with some details. What to Search: Topics - Canadian Genealogy Centre - Library and Archives Canada

 

Thanks

I will investigate and request what I can. I've been fortunate enough to see a fair amount of his original service records that my Great Aunt has kept - they just don't mention much about the actual circumstances of his death.

Incidentally, I will be making another post shortly requesting any information regarding a second relative who died with Bomber Squadron - Charles O'Connor (50 Squadron). While I know a bit more about Charles, I haven't seen his official records - will be contacting the Canadian military archives in the next week or so for him as well.

I also saw a recommendation to post on the Bombercrew.com forum.

Again, thanks!

Brian

 

welcome brian,good luck with research..

 

An interesting time for 424 Squadron. Upon leaving North Africa they left their Wellingtons and 4 Group behind re-equipping with Halifaxes and joining the newly-formed, mostly Canadian 6 Group.

There are some photographs of the squadron taken in North Africa:

424 Photographs

When you request his service records make sure to ask for copies of the two photographs that should be in his file. One will have been taken upon enlistment and the other when he received his wing. You'll be able to tell which is which by the uniform worn.

The fact he is on the Malta Memorial means he has no known grave. When you request his records also ask for any post-WWII records detailing any search for the cause of the crash. These are not part of the free standard "genie" packages.

The Library and Archives Canada (who have his records) work on a priority basis. Those seeking records for pension or proof of service have priority. What this means is that there is currently a four to eight month wait because of staff cutbacks and a backlog of requests. You might want to stress that you are seeking these records for your great aunt as that might bump your request up the list a bit.

Good luck

 

another link,to try.. RCAF 424

 

Thanks all for the information, very kind, you've helped me uncover quite a bit already - here goes ...

The aircraft that he flew on his final mission was most likely Wellington Mark X HE795 piloted by Flight Sgt. Irwin Andrew Martin R/128247 (according to a book entitled "They Shall Not Grow Old" by Les Allison). This aircraft and pilot appear in other of his log book entries for what were presumably training exercises.

Jerome went missing on what was his second mission. According to his log book, his first mission was a night bombing mission also to Formia, Italy on September 22/23 (entry read "road junction") but this was with another aircraft, Wellington HF582 piloted by F/O Sherlock. The duration was 6 hours, 30 min.

This same Wellington HF582 aircraft appears in some nose art photos ("Marie") from Jerome's time in N. Africa. Apparently the artist, Matt Ferguson, also of Squadron 424, went on to become quite well known as "Canada's greatest aircraft nose art painter". See following links

Mat Ferguson North Africa Nose Artist

Matthew Ferguson - Nose Artist
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
I have also located a touching newspaper article announcing Flight Sergeant Edward Francis Warr (one of Jerome's crew mates) as missing in N. Africa. View attachment 8386

I have also located and scanned a photo of Jerome himself - not sure if this is his enlistment or wings photo. View attachment 8387

Finally, I've two photo's of Jerome's sister Caroline Dauk (living 90). Caroline is a remarkable person in her own right. She served as a Nursing Sister Lieutenant with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) where she survived the London Blitz and later followed the Canadian forces immediately after the Normandy invasion on to Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. Of German heritage, Caroline would often translate for wounded German soldiers treated by the RCAMC. In many ways, I'm hoping that my research on her brother might help her share what stories she has until now kept personal. Caroline went on to earn academic nursing honors at Columbia University, joined the United Nations in its early years as one of the first nursing professionals with WHO and served in Northern Canada, Baghdad (1950s) and Kuala Lumpur, Indoniesia (1960s/1970s?). View attachment 6941

Again thank you all for your help and interest so far - an interesting journey for me and my family.

 

Book Title: 424 Squadron History
ISBN: 0-920497-02-0 Publisher: The Hangar Bookshelf: 1985
Author: Capt. Nora Bottomley
Dimensions: 10.5" w x 8.5" h
Hardcover: Yes Pages: 137
Comments: 1935 to 1984. Covers operations pre WWII on the Fawn, Moth and Tiger Moth as 19 (B) Sqn and then to WWII as 119 (B) Sqn on Bolingbrokes and Hudson's in Nova Scotia. Overseas in WWII on the Wellington, Halifax and Lancaster. Post WWII on the Harvard, P-51, T-33, Expeditor, Single and Twin Otters and Buffalo. Many period photos, mainly B & W, of squadron personnel and aircraft.

 

Thanks for sharing what you've discovered, Brian. Good work indeed.

The RCAF most definitely did not take colour photographs of recruits. They were in B/W and had a height chart in the background making the recruit look like he was in a mug shot. What you've shown here looks like it was done by one of the many portrait studios which sprung up in the small towns where the BCATP bases were all over Canada.

And kudos to you for attempting to gently persuade your great aunt to share her story. A remarkable lady indeed!