DUNFORD, Patrick Joseph
| Service Numbers: | 418258, 418275 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 May 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | No. 463 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 April 1923 |
| Home Town: | Oakleigh, Monash, Victoria |
| Schooling: | De Laselle College, Malvern, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Postal Clerk |
| Died: | Flying Battle, Lyon-la-Foret, France, 4 July 1944, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Marissel French National Cemetery, Beauvais, France Grave 274 , Marissel French National Cemetery, Beauvais, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flight Sergeant, 418258 | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 May 1942: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 418275, RAAF East Sale, Accepted into the RAAF and like many of his countrymen on completion of air training as an air gunner was dispatched to England and the European theatre of war. | |
| 15 May 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, 418258 | |
| 15 May 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 418258 | |
| 4 Aug 1943: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 418275, No. 463 Squadron (RAAF), On arrival in the United Kingdom, Patrick Joseph Dunford was posted to RAAF 463 Squadron Lancasters as a mid-upper gunner with the rank of Flight Sergeant. After three operations in other Lancaster’s, Patrick was assigned to Lancaster bomber ME614, JO-K, nicknamed ‘The Four Kings’. | |
| 1 Sep 1943: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 418275, No. 463 Squadron (RAAF), FSGT Patrick Joseph Dunford and his crew carried out operations over the period April to July 1944 which spanned the D-day invasion. On the night of 4/5 July 1944, JO-K “The Four Kings” took-off from Waddington, as part of a force of 246 aircraft - 231 Lancaster’s and 15 Mosquitoes that were tasked to attack the V-1 flying bomb storage sites at St. Leu d'Esserent and Creil in order to cut all communications to the storage sites. 2000 tons of explosives were used on the site which was well protected by flack and German night fighters. 463 Squadron Lancaster JO-K “The Four Kings” was shot down on the return leg of its bombing mission through Haute Normandie. The Lancaster aircraft was seen to have a very long red flame trailing behind it and flew over Lyons at a very low altitude, turned south into the line of the forest, and crashed at 2306 hours, 2 km's South West of Lyon-la-Foret. |
Family Remembrance.
Patrick Joseph Dunford had a wonderfully outgoing personality and was much loved by family members and friends both young and old. He was a very good sportsman and among his great interests were cricket, football, tennis and golf. His other love was ball room dancing and he also liked music and learned to play the banjo. His favourite songs included the “The last time I saw Paris” sung by Kate Smith.
Submitted 26 April 2020 by Patrick Cashman
Shooting Down
A French resistance member named Henri Collignon recalled seeing the aircraft come down in the area of "Les Maisons Blanches". He was also able to confirm that JO-K was shot down by a Luftwaffe night fighter.
According to the Luftwaffe, the aircraft that shot 463 Squadron Lancaster JO-K down was a Messerschmitt Bf110G night fighter of the Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5) (pictured right) flown by Feldwebel (Staff Sergeant) Blank at an altitude of 3500 metres.
Three of the crew perished inside JO-K and could not be identified. The bodies of another four were found nearby (probably having parachuted out too late) covered in tree branches. An eighth crew member parachuted into an apple tree at Le Tronquay, a village just north of Lyons, and was found wounded by a farmer’s wife who sent for the Gendarmes. After the Gendarmes had arrived, the wounded airman had advised the Gendarmes, though an interpreter, that he was Australian. He was ordered by the local German Commandant to be taken to the hospital at Beauvais, France.
Submitted 26 April 2020 by Patrick Cashman
Joining the War
In 1939, Patrick Joseph Dunford became a Postal Clerk with the Post Master General’s Office (now Australia Post) and on the outbreak of World War 2 decided to enlist at the age of 17.
His enthusiasm was such that he ran away from home to join up resulting in his mother, Mary Agnes, hiring a taxi for a day and travelling to enlistment camps all around Melbourne. Finally, she found him just as he was ready to sign with the 2nd AIF. Much to Patrick’s disgust, his mother marched him home. However, as soon as he turned eighteen, his father, Maurice Daniel, had to sign his enlistment papers as he was so intent on joining the war effort and fighting for his country.
Submitted 26 April 2020 by Patrick Cashman
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