Sapper Clement Joseph Lepage
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Clement Joseph Lepage was born at White Station, Quebec, on May 18, 1910. A painter living in Huntingdon, he enlisted in the Canadian Army at Montreal South on June 13, 1941, and served as Sapper D-16718 with the Royal Canadian Engineers. After training in Canada, he went overseas in May 1942 with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Engineers. He served in Britain and later in Northwest Europe, participating in the D-Day campaign and the subsequent advance north through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Lepage qualified as a painter, Group C, and was employed in that trade during his service. His record also contains repeated disciplinary entries for absence without leave, including a lengthy absence in 1942 for which he received 28 days detention, as well as several lesser offences. He returned to Canada in December 1945 and was honourably discharged at Montreal South on January 19, 1946, on demobilization. His awards included the 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp, and War Medal 1939-45. He died at Queen Mary Veterans Hospital in Montreal on August 9, 1964.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
D16718
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Engineers
Battalion:
3rd Battalion
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
White Station, Quebec, Canada
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
31 years
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
35 years 8 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
54 years 2 months
Country Born:
Trade or Calling:
Painter
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Delia Lepage (mother), 47 Lake St., Huntingdon, Quebec, Canada
Address at Enlistment:
47 Lake St., Huntingdon, Quebec, Canada
Religion:
Aboriginal
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal South, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
Weight:
124 lbs / 56 kg
Chest:
Expansion:
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Honourably discharged at Montreal South, Quebec, on 19 January 1946 on demobilization / return to civil life. Final rank Sapper. Address on discharge: 31 Lake St., Huntingdon, Quebec. War Service Gratuity documentation records 1,682 total days of service, including 1,247 qualifying overseas days.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1681 days in service
Buried at:
Plot:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Sapper |
Royal Canadian Engineers |
Army |
3rd Battalion |
|
|
|
| Principal wartime unit. |
| WW2 |
Sapper |
Royal Canadian Engineers |
Army |
592 C.D.M.D. 4 Repat Depot, Pioneer C |
|
|
|
| Repatriation/demobilization posting. |
| WW2 |
Sapper |
Royal Canadian Engineers |
Army |
R.C.E.T.C. A5 |
|
|
|
| Petawawa training establishment. |
| WW2 |
Sapper |
Royal Canadian Engineers |
Army |
No. 4 District Depot |
|
|
|
| Initial unit. |
| WW2 |
Sapper |
Royal Canadian Engineers |
Army |
|
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
1939-45 Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
France and Germany Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939-45 |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1910-05-18 — Born
1941-06-13 — Enlisted Canadian Army (Active) as Sapper D-16718; civilian occupation painter.
1941-06-17 — Absent without leave; first of several short AWL entries shortly after enlistment.
1941-10-01 — Transferred to R.C.E.T.C. A5 for all purposes.
1941-11-12 — Punished for 7 days AWL; confined to barracks and forfeited pay.
1942-01-06 — Punished for 14 days AWL; confined to barracks and forfeited pay.
1942-01-29 — Taken on strength of 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Engineers.
1942-02-17 to 1942-04-05 — AWL after furlough; warned failure to return would be considered desertion. Awarded 28 days detention and forfeiture of pay.
1942-05-17/18 — Embarked for overseas service and proceeded to the United Kingdom.
1942-05-16 — Punished for drunkenness while on active service; 3 days confined to barracks.
1942-10-31 — Admonished for drunkenness while on active service.
1943-01-21 — Qualified as Painter Group C; trades pay authorized.
1943 — Multiple short AWL offences, with forfeiture of 1–3 days' pay.
1944-06 — Entered Northwest Europe with 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Engineers; participated in the D-Day campaign and subsequent advance north through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
1945-03-15 — AWL 5 days 4 hours 30 minutes; awarded field punishment and forfeiture of pay.
1945-05 — Returned to the United Kingdom after Northwest Europe operations.
1945-11-01 — Struck off strength to 592 C.D.M.D. 4 Repat Depot, Pioneer C.
1945-12-05 — Overseas service terminated; returned to Canada.
1946-01-19 — Honourably discharged on demobilization; final rank Sapper; address 31 Lake St., Huntingdon.
1948-02 to 1948-03 — Requested replacement Army identification documents and official statement of service from Veterans Affairs.
1964-08-09 — Died at Queen Mary Veterans Hospital.
Notes
The conduct record contains repeated AWL offences. The most serious began 17 Feb 1942 after a furlough; the record states he had been warned that failure to return would be considered desertion. He returned/apprehended on 5 Apr 1942 and was awarded 28 days detention with forfeiture of pay. Lesser AWL offences and two drunkenness offences were recorded later. These disciplinary events did not prevent continued overseas service or an honourable demobilization discharge.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born Huntingdon
BIRTH 8 MAI 1910 • Huntingdon, Qc DEATH 9 AOÛT 1964 • Huntingdon, Qc
Cemetery Cimetière Saint-Joseph Burial or Cremation Place Huntingdon,
atip Request confirmation number EA2026_0171728
Additional Service Notes
Canadian Army (Active), Royal Canadian Engineers. Enlisted 13 Jun 1941 at Montreal South; initial unit No. 4 District Depot. Transferred to R.C.E.T.C. A5 at Petawawa and then to 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Engineers. Overseas from May 1942 to Dec 1945, serving in Britain and Northwest Europe. Qualified Painter Group C; trades pay authorized. Returned to Canada in Dec 1945 and discharged 19 Jan 1946 at Montreal South on demobilization. He participated in the D-Day campaign and the subsequent advance north through Northwest Europe.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Mother: Mrs. Delia Lepage, 47 Lake St., Huntingdon, Quebec; father recorded deceased by 1941. Existing CWVMP text gives Mrs. Adelia Oliver Lepage, Huntingdon, which may refer to the same person but should not silently replace the service-file wording.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Research Notes
Existing CWVMP fields contain several values contradicted by the service file: place of birth is White Station, Quebec (not Huntingdon); religion is Roman Catholic (not Aboriginal); service extended beyond Canada to Britain and Northwest Europe. The service number appears as D-16718 in the file (existing display omits the hyphen). The 1942 prolonged AWL was explicitly treated as potentially desertion, but the surviving conduct record documents AWL/detention rather than a final desertion discharge or conviction. Preserve that distinction. Research significance: flag as important because his 3rd Battalion R.C.E. service included the D-Day campaign and the subsequent advance north through Northwest Europe.
