Name: Joseph Raymond Gaudet Rank: Pilot Officer Service Number: J/17020 Service: 221 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: March 18, 1918 Place of Birth: Moncton, Westmorland, New Brunswick Date of Enlistment: May 12, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Moncton, New Brunswick Address at Enlistment: Lewisville, New Brunswick Age at Enlistment: 23 Occupation: Clerk Marital Status: Single Next of Kin: Ethel Mary Gaudet (Mother), Originally from Tangiers, Halifax Co., Nova Scotia Religion: Roman Catholic Date of Death: April 19, 1943 Age: 25 Cemetery: Malta Memorial, Floriana, Malta Reference: Panel 10, Column 2 Commemorated on Page 162 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 4 Joseph was the son of Rudolph Peter Gaudet (1871-1935) and Mary Ethel (Hawes) Gaudet (1883-1966). His siblings were Joseph Rudolph Gaudet (1907-1971), Ryerson Wilfred Gaudet (1908-1962), Emma Matilda Gaudet (1910-1993), Patricia Josephine Gaudet (1912-1981), Gertrude Gaudet (1914-1924), Reginald Andrew Gaudet (1916-1964), John Lawrence Gaudet (1920-1935), Rupert Francis Gaudet (1922-1980), and George Frederick Gaudet (1926-2017). Four of his brothers also served during the Second World War. His brother Ryerson served in the US Army in WWII enlisting January 25, 1943 (Service No. 35532159), Joseph Rudolph served in the Royal Canadian Navy, and Raymond served overseas; likely in the Canadian Army. His brother Rupert served in the RCAF. His mother was born in Tangier, near Sheet Harbour in Halifax County, Nova Scotia, and his father was born in Prince Edward Island. His parents were married in Sydney, Cape Breton, NS, in 1906. Prior to enlistment, Joseph enjoyed basketball, baseball and bowling. He had previously enlisted with the RCAF in 1937 and was waiting to be called up, when he enlisted for active service in the Second World War, in May of 1941. His training in Canada included his initial transfer to the military depot in Toronto, training at the No. 6 SFTS in Dunnville from June 22 to August 8, 1941, No. 5 ITS (Initial Training School) in Belleville, Ontario, from August 9 to September 27, 1941, No. 8 AOS (Air Observer School) near Ancienne Lorette, Quebec, from September 27 to January 3, 1942, No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School in Mont Joli, Quebec, until February 28, 1942, and at No. 2 ANS (Air Navigation School) in Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick from February 29 to March 3, 1942. Joseph Raymond Gaudet served as Navigator with the RCAF’s 221 Squadron when the aircraft in which he was serving, Wellington Mark VIII bomber LB115 was lost in action in the early hours of April 19, 1943. His RCAF Service File includes a memo from No. 5 M.R.E.U. dated June 16, 1948, which records that he was lost in Wellington VIII LB115 of 221 Squadron, which left Luqa in Emilia-Romagna, Ravenna, Italy, at approximately 21:56 on April 18, 1943, on a mission to search for enemy shipping in the Marettimo, area, west of Sicily. A sighting and attack report was received at 00.30 but no further news was received. Joseph Raymond Gaudet is remembered on the Malta Memorial, and also on a family grave marker at the Shediac Road Roman Catholic Cemetery in Moncton, Westmorland Co., New Brunswick. The other crew lost were: Flight Lieutenant Robert Ian Fraser (Service No. 100635), RAFVR, age 23 Son of Daniel Fraser (1884-1949) and Ellen Fraser (1890-1953), of Carlton, Nottinghamshire, England; brother of Evelyn Fraser (1916-1997) Sergeant Basil Walter Millar (Service No. 656962), RAFVR, age 27 Son of A. Percy and Winifred Miller; husband of N. Irene Miller, of Harrow, Middlesex, England Sergeant Walter Scott (Service No. 627726), RAF, age 22 Son of James Scott and of Elizabeth (Proctor) Scott Warrant Officer Class II Cornelius Robert Donovan Hurley (Service No. R/54802), age 29 A second Canadian serving in LB115; son of John and Julia Hurley, of Montreal, Quebec Sergeant William Morton (Service No. 1073134), RAFVR, age 23 Son of Wilfred Rebeck Morton (1894-1976) and Selena ‘Lena’ (Rothwell) Morton (1900-1975), of Leigh, Lancashire, England