Parents:---Son of Wilhelm Heinrich Benjamin Jaekel and Elsie Alwine Banks Underwood married 23rd February 1922 in St Peter's Church, Glenelg, South Australia.
Wife:--- Married Marie Hilda Thompson.
~~~Flight Sergeant Desmond Nelson JAEKEL, Royal Australian Air Force, RAAF, World War Two~~~
RAAF Service Number:--- 416680
Home Town:--- Pinnaroo, South Australia
Enlisted in RAAF:--- 16 August 1941 in Adelaide, South Australia.
Final Rank:--- Flight Sergeant
Final Unit:--- No. 460 Squadron, RAAF Breighton, Yorkshire
Fate:--- Died in air operations in No. 460 Squadron Lancaster aircraft W4818, Germany, 5th May 1943.
Burial:--- Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Memorials:--- Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour.
Remembered:---Panel 107, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered:--- World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Details of final mission:--- Lancaster W4818 took off from RAF Breighton at 2220 hours on 4 May 1943 to bomb Dortmund, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries it was established that the aircraft crashed at Schieringhausen, some 8 kms WSW of Lunen. And all the crew members on their first operation and were killed.
~~~~~~~~~~~The crew members of Lancaster W4818 who died in the crash~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flight Sergeant John Lawrence Barry (20047) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Eugene John Candish (412479) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Alan Hilton (412139) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Desmond Nelson Jaekel (416680) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Sidney Michael Russ (414506) (Navigator)
Sergeant William James Turpin (1476394) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant William Williams (405597) (Air Gunner)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Obituaries~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931 - 1954) Monday 17 May 1943
Private Casualty Advices
Mrs. Marie Jaekel, of Athelstone, has been notified that her husband, Flt-Sgt. D. N. Jaekel, is missing as a result of night operations on May 4. He left Australia early in July, 1942. He is the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Jaekel, of Beverley.
Pinnaroo and Border Times (S.A.: 1911 - 1954) Thursday 3 June 1943
FORMER LOCAL BOY MISSING
SGT PILOT DES. JAEKEL
Des. Jaekel, who is a Sgt Pilot in the RAAF, has been posted missing during air operations over Europe. Des is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Jaekel who resided in Pinnaroo for a good many years. He was born in Pinnaroo and was a pupil of the Higher Primary School. He arrived in England in August of last year. News of his safety will be awaited by residents.
Pinnaroo and Border Times (S.A.: 1911 - 1954) Thursday 16 December 1943
AIRMAN PRESUMED KILLED
FLT.-SGT. DES. JAEKEL
It has been announced that Flt.-Sgt. Des. Jaekel, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Jaekel, former Pinnaroo residents, presumably lost his life as captain of a Lancaster bomber during a raid on German territory. Residents and friends will sympathise with the bereaved relatives in their great loss. Des received his wings at the age of 18. He leaves a widow and baby son.