Canadian military records - World War II
Hello from Australia,
I'm trying to figure out how to search Canadian military records.
My grandfather Douglas Michelmore (467 Squadron - Royal Australian Air Force - AUS 423809) was a navigator on DV171 JO:Y Lancaster III bomber which was shot down near Calais, France on 24 September 1944.
My grandfather and two other airmen Irvin Fletcher and Sydney Burns were captured by German forces and imprisoned in a garrison in Calais between September 25 and September 30.
They were liberated by Canadian forces (thank you) at about 6.30pm after they bombed and shelled the garrison. A group of Canadian soldiers on patrol helped get them to safety and returned them to England.
I am curious if there are any Canadian military records of the discovery of the men and their release.
I would be grateful for any assistance anyone is able to provide.
thank you,
Karen
Comments
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@Karen78011 I would suggest that you consult the FamilySearch Research Wiki page for Canadian Military Records. It contains information and links to resources that may be of help to you.
If your grandfather was sent to England it may be helpful to see if the British Red Cross has any records regarding the incident. In 1944 the British Red Cross forwarded a letter to our family from a POW who had been part of the crew tasked with rescuing the remains of my father-in-law's cousin whose bomber had been shot down over Germany. So it is possible that there are personal accounts of the incident you mention.
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Hi @Karen78011.
It looks like that was part of Operation Undergo.
The Library and Archives Canada have some collections on it that look promising. Unfortunately, most aren't available online to see, so I'm not sure as to relevancy to your grandfather. I would contact the Library and Archives Canada for guidance.
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