Career
Dudka joined the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, a Nova Scotia regiment, at 16 years old. He landed on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. He was wounded, and captured by German forces on June 7.
While in captivity he witnessed the murder of other Canadian soldiers by Major Kurt Meyer of the Waffen Steamship He later testified against Meyer.
Dudka made three escape attempts before he made his way back to the Allied zone, where he was able to rejoin his regiment. Dudka was a coal miner from 1946 through 1958, when he started a distinguished career as a fishery officer
Twenty-five of his descendants attended the commissioning of the CCGS South Dudka. In March 2013 Fisheries and Oceans Canada launched a fishery patrol vessel named in Dudka"s honour—the CCGS South Dudka.
