Kanelakos, James

James Kanelakos - R135713/J18792 - Jimmy enlisted in 1941 and after gunnery school was posted to No. 7 RAF Bomber Command as a "MUG" with the Pathfinder Force. After over 40 trips over enemy territory, he was finally shot down on his birthday Sept 28, 1943 (in the AVRO Lancaster Bomber J849, code MG-F) taking part in a raid over Hannover Germany. His entire crew was killed and he was severely wounded. He served out the war as a "POW" in the "Great Escape "Stalag Luft III" He was promoted to Flying Officer on 31 January 1944 while in captivity. Near the end of the war, he endured a forced march from Sagan to Luchenwald over eight days under very harsh conditions before liberation by Soviet forces. He retired from service on 13 November 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) effective 26 September 1943. ( London Gazette citation in April 1945).