The Death of Michael Dorosh

[Michael Dorosh]

Just got a package in the mail today from a researcher in Ottawa - the service records of one Private Michael Dorosh, killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Regiment in April 1944.

Fascinating reading (the fact that he had Gonorrhoea before the war is now a matter of public record, sadly enough.)

He had been a tool grinder for Ford Motor Company in Windsor ON before the war. He naturally applied for the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, and just as naturally was put into the reinforcement stream for the infantry. On April 3rd, 1944, on the Arielli River front in Italy, he was listed as missing. Later reports from the Germans showed he died in captivity.

What surprised me, and perhaps it shouldn't have, was the inclusion in the file called QUESTIONNAIRE ON A MISSING OFFICER OR SOLDIER. I had no idea they did these, but of course I suppose I should have. Especially haven seen or participated in investigations myself over such mundane affairs as a missing pair of gloves, or a soldier wearing the wrong rank in the mess, I suppose a missing human is something substantial.

For those interested, here is the form.

As far as I know, I am not related to Michael Dorosh, though I suppose anything is possible. He had a brother named John, which is my paternal grandfather's name, but they are two different people.

If anyone by chance has a copy of the map 1:25,000 F. ARIELLI, I would appreciate knowing if I can obtain a copy.

I am also looking for relatives of this soldier in order to obtain a photograph. His wife remarried, was widowed again in the late 1950s, and passed away in 2002 in Winnipeg. His sister in law wrote to the National Archives for his file in 1994 and left an address in Windsor, Ontario but that was a long time ago.

Anyway, the missing report was interesting to me.

QUESTIONNAIRE ON A MISSING OFFICER OR SOLDIER

No. A76184 Private Dorosh M.

CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO HIS DISAPPEARING

(A) WHERE WAS HE LAST SEEN?

At north base of straw stack in Silo ruins Map Ref (1:25,000) F. Arielli Area 508.187

( HE WAS LAST SEEN BY

G50709 Pte Smith J.G.

WHO WAS/WERE THEN ENGAGED IN

Ambush Patrol on "D" Coy front

© WHERE SEEN FROM?

Inside Brick Hut beside stack

APPROX DISTANCE

6 feet

VISIBILITY

Moonlight

ABOUT WHAT TIME?

0330 hrs

(D) WHO WAS WITH HIM?

M106466 Pte Jenson E (with Smith), A5707 Pte Burdett, J.

(E) TO WHAT TASK WAS HE ASSIGNED?

Covering the draw

(F) WHAT WAS HE DOING?

Lying down firing the bren

(G) GIVE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED

Pte Dorosh had heard movement and told Pte. Smith to warn men in the brick hut. As Smith stepped behind brick wall a Bren and German Machine Carbine opened almost simultaneously. Men in Brick Hut went behind stack to positions in rear of ruins. It was impossible to reach Pte. Dorosh after he was hit, due to heavy maching gun fire. The remaining min then withdrew to Pl positions approx 400 yds to rear. When Pl. returned to force the body was gone but there were three blood covered bren mags and one Bren gun which had been hit on the bipod legs.

PHYSICAL CONDITION

(A) WAS HE ALIVE AT THE TIME?

Yes, thought to be dead.

IF DEAD, WAS ANY ATTEMPT MADE TO RECOVER THE BODY?

( IF WOUNDED, HOW SERIOUSLY?

© NATURE OF MEDICAL ATTENTION GIVEN

BY WHOM

(D)WAS HE BEING OTHERWISE ASSISTED BY ANYONE?

IF SO, BY WHOM?

INFORMATION RE THE ENEMY

(A) HOW FAR AWAY WERE THE ENEMY?

100 yards (Pte Smith)

( WHAT SORT OF FIRE WAS HE UP AGAINST?

3 SMGs, 1 MG

© WHAT COVER FROM THIS FIRE AVAILABLE?

None (shadow of stack)

(D) WAS HE IN DANGER OF BEING TAKEN PRISONER?

Yes.

IF SO, WHY?

No cover. in front of stack. Pinned by fire (body was taken by enemy).

REPORT BY B41835 PTE HICKS GA

On April the 3rd 1200 hrs I was in charge of a patrol of four men to 0530 hrs. Pte Deal was in charge of a listening patrol on my left from 0200 hrs to 0400 hrs. At 0340 hrs Pte Deal came down to me and reported that he had seen four men pass his front and wanted to know whether to fire at them or not. I went over to check on his story. In before going I had brought my men up to a strawn and brick building and, place them for an attack. While at the listening post I heard shots being fired at the building where I had left my men. Five minutes later I heard men running away from the building. It sounded like everyone had left but there was still gun fire on the building. While I was waitinger there for any others to come out but heard no more movement, gave the Bren gunner an order to get out. Getting back I checked my men that had been on patrol and found that Pte. Dorosh who was the original Bren Gunner, was missing. I ask the men who were with him last said, that he had been hit. They also said that they heard no more out of him and left him for dead."

Signed Hicks, GA, Pte

REPORT BY M106466 PTE JENSON E

I was on a patrol on Apr the 3rd with Pte. Dorosh. At approx at 0330 hrs Pte Deal came down to informed us that he had seen a German Patrol moving on our front. Cpl Hicks our Patrol Commander went back to investigate. and told us to follow him. We reach the vicinity of the hay stack when we were fired on by the German patrol. From then on I did not notice Pte. Dorosh. The fire was heavy at this time so we were told to withdraw to our original Platoon positions.

Signed E. Jenson Pte

REPORT BY g50709 PTE SMITH JG

On April the 3rd at 0400 hrs I was on the same ambush patrol as Pte. Dorosh. We were attacked by enemy patrol with machine gun fire from three or four different points. I then see Pte Dorosh fire Bren Gun, after firing a number of rounds he let go of his Bren and started to moan. In the mean time we were firing with TMG. I then see the remainder of the ambush patrol returning to the Platoon positions and, I went back also and explained the situation to the Platoon commander.

signed Smith JG

This all makes me think about the scenes in Cross of Iron where Steiner meets his new commander for the first time and has to file a report about his missing man. You don't see it in the war movies, but these reports really did get written. As the grammar and spelling above show, even by privates in the field.

This seemingly small episode did manage to make it into the regimental history:

April (1944) opened with a spate of reports of Germans seen, noises heard, positions identified. On the 4th D Company, acting on a report from its listening post, sent out an ambush patrol. It was deemed necessary to pass the tidings by runner, who revealed the locations of both the listening post and the ambush. Fire opened and Pte. M. Dorosh, a Bren gunner, was severely wounded; his crew withdrew, leaving the wounded man behind. The company commander immediately despatched a party to bring him in; it was held up by mortar fire and when the listening post was reached Dorosh had been taken away. It was subsequently learned that he died in enemy hands.

From The Royal Canadian Regiment, Volume Two (1933-1966) by G.R. Stevens, OBE, LL.D,

London Printing & Lithographing Co., Limited, London, ON, 1967, p.127

[GJK]

I may have a funny last name, but that's one thing I'll always be sure of: never confused with someone else of the same name.

Neat story/info Mike. Are my condolences in order here?

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by GJK:

I may have a funny last name, but that's one thing I'll always be sure of: never confused with someone else of the same name.

Neat story/info Mike. Are my condolences in order here?

Not at all, I never even heard of him until I typed my own name into the search engine of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial out of sheer boredom one day.

[Seanachai]

Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

I never even heard of him until I typed my own name into the search engine of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial out of sheer boredom one day.

Keep typing. I eagerly look forward to hearing of all sorts of 'Michael Dorosh's' expiring in all sorts of places under all sorts of circumstances for weeks to come.

You do realize you got the most votes in the 'Which Forum Regular Should Be Put to Death' thread, right? I mean, Beman wasn't even in the running. I got emails excoriating me for even including him!

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by Seanachai:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

I never even heard of him until I typed my own name into the search engine of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial out of sheer boredom one day.

Keep typing. I eagerly look forward to hearing of all sorts of 'Michael Dorosh's' expiring in all sorts of places under all sorts of circumstances for weeks to come.

You do realize you got the most votes in the 'Which Forum Regular Should Be Put to Death' thread, right? I mean, Beman wasn't even in the running. I got emails excoriating me for even including him! </font>

[chrisl]

Are you sure you aren't in an art film and the director is trying to hint at something?

If Gerard Depardieu shows up at your door you should be very worried.

[Seanachai]

Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

That's as far as I care to research it, though!

And Emrys won that contest hands down, as I recall.

Oh, don't be a baby! I'm sure that ghost Dorosh's having been kacking in fascinating ways all over the freaking world.

Nope. Emrys ran you an almost close second, but his votes didn't enjoy the same sort of 'Hate' yours did, so you were the clear winner.

Emrys didn't come into his own until Cabron66 showed up and gave him his 'Most Favoured Enemy' status.

Still not sure how he managed that. Not that I'm still filled with resentment, or anything. Not much. Maybe a bit.

Not enough, anyways, to drive out to the West Coast and thump Emrys with an axe handle, that is.

[Mr. Tittles]

Did he get Gonorrhoea from grinding his tool?

[Jim Boggs]

Originally posted by Mr. Tittles:

Did he get Gonorrhoea from grinding his tool?

I am SO disappointed in your post. I had apparently placed you on such a high pedestal that there was an oxygen deprivation issue involved.

Now look here Mr T, you know I have been your biggest fan, and to see this kind of slap dash, hurriedly thrown together, lowest common denominator type humor from you is.... well, disillusioning.

I know you can do better. Now try again and this time don't settle with "phoning it in".

[Boo Radley]

Originally posted by Jim Boggs:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Mr. Tittles:

Did he get Gonorrhoea from grinding his tool?

I am SO disappointed in your post. I had apparently placed you on such a high pedestal that there was an oxygen deprivation issue involved.

Now look here Mr T, you know I have been your biggest fan, and to see this kind of slap dash, hurriedly thrown together, lowest common denominator type humor from you is.... well, disillusioning.

I know you can do better. Now try again and this time don't settle with "phoning it in". </font>