Canadian War Veterans Memorial Project
Commemorating those that served

Welcome: Guest (Login/Register) |

Email

Private William Pariseau

Survivor of WW1

Date of Death:

Biography General Links Ranks Chronology Print

Service Biography

William Pariseau was a Montreal painter who enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 11 February 1916 as Private 847417. He served in England with the 69th and 64th Battalions and was discharged in June 1917 as medically unfit. He later returned to service under the name John White, service number 4035114, and served with the Canadian Railway Troops in England and France. After hospitalization for mental illness he was invalided to Canada and discharged at Montreal on 17 February 1919 as medically unfit. Department of Veterans Affairs records later linked John White with William Pariseau and recorded his death on 5 November 1962 at Sainte-Anne's Hospital, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.

General Information

Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
847417
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Regiment:
Canadian Railway Troops
Battalion:
1st Battalion
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Beauharnois, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
33 years 11 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
37 years
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
80 years 8 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Painter
Next of Kin:
Mother: Mrs. Melina Pariseau, 332 St. Andre Street, Montreal, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
337 St. Henri Street, Montreal, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 3.0 in / 160 cm
Weight:
134 lbs / 61 kg
Chest:
35.0 in / 89 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Medically Unfit
Discharge Notes:
Medical discharge for mental disability.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1102 days in service
Buried at:
Library and Archives Canada Service Record
Canadian Great War Project

Ranks

Conflict Rank Regiment Branch Unit Company Date From Date To
WW1 Private Canadian Railway Troops Canadian Expeditionary Force 1st Battalion
WW1 Private Canadian Railway Troops Canadian Expeditionary Force Canadian Railway Troops Depot
WW1 Private 2nd Quebec Regiment Canadian Expeditionary Force 2nd Depot Battalion
WW1 Private Canadian Infantry Canadian Expeditionary Force 64th Battalion
WW1 Private Canadian Infantry Canadian Expeditionary Force 69th Battalion

Service Chronology

1916-02-11 — Attested as William Pariseau, Private 847417; single Roman Catholic painter; no previous military service stated.
1916-04-17 — Embarked from Canada for overseas service.
1916-04-26 — Service ledger records arrival in England.
1916-04-27 — Casualty form records disembarkation in England.
1916-06-06 — Eye specialist reported amblyopia dating from childhood and recommended that he be boarded as unfit for infantry.
1916-06-28 — Taken on strength for base duty in an entry using the abbreviation C.C.A.C.; the abbreviation is retained as written.
1916-07-13 — Transfer/attachment involving C.C.A.C. and the 69th Battalion recorded; source abbreviation retained without expansion.
1916-12-06 — Transferred from the 69th Battalion to the 64th Battalion.
1916-12-15 — Taken on strength of the 64th Battalion.
1917-01-19 — An entry declaring him illegally absent/deserter was subsequently cancelled as entered in error.
1917-02-24 — Admitted to Moore Barracks Canadian Hospital for psychiatric observation; surviving records use delusional/confusional insanity terminology.
1917-04-11 — Discharged from Moore Barracks Canadian Hospital following psychiatric treatment.
1917-05-31 — Medical Board recommended discharge as medically unfit; epilepsy was recorded as existing before enlistment.
1917-06-10 — Discharged from the CEF at Montreal for medical unfitness due to epilepsy recorded as prior to enlistment.
1917-11-11 — Entered a second period of CEF service under the name John White, service number 4035114, with the 2nd Depot Battalion, 2nd Quebec Regiment.
1917-12-08 — Admitted to Grey Nuns Convalescent Home with gonorrhoea.
1918-01-21 — Discharged to duty after treatment for gonorrhoea; urine clear, smear negative and recorded as apparently cured.
1918-02-18 — Embarked from Canada during the John White service period.
1918-03-04 — Disembarked in England and was taken on strength after arrival from Canada.
1918-05-04 — District Court Martial sentence recorded for stealing a comrade's property, failing to appear at parade and using insubordinate language to a superior officer.
1918-05-19 — Admitted to No. 12 Canadian General Hospital, Bramshott; the medical card records diarrhoea among the diagnoses.
1918-06-11 — Struck off strength on posting to the Quebec Regimental Depot.
1918-06-25 — Transferred to the Canadian Railway Troops and taken on strength of the Canadian Railway Troops Depot.
1918-08-06 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Railway Troops Depot to proceed overseas to the 1st Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops.
1918-08-08 — Taken on strength as a reinforcement for the Canadian Railway Troops in France.
1918-08-11 — Left for his unit.
1918-08-15 — Reported for duty with the 1st Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops.
1918-08-29 — Admitted to No. 8 Stationary Hospital with mental symptoms recorded as N.Y.D. mental.
1918-08-31 — Invalided to England aboard the ambulance transport St. Denis and posted to the Canadian Railway Troops Depot; hospital records describe feeble-mindedness.
1918-08-31 to 1918-09-07 — Treated at Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, before transfer to Lord Derby War Hospital.
1918-09-07 to 1918-11-26 — Treated at Lord Derby War Hospital; diagnosis recorded as feeble-mindedness and repatriation to Canada was recommended.
1918-11-26 — Invalided to Canada; hospital history records the start of the voyage aboard Araguaya.
1918-12-07 — Hospital voyage aboard Araguaya ended on arrival in Canada.
1918-12-09 — Admitted to Cobourg Military Hospital for continued psychiatric assessment and treatment.
1919-01-28 — Medical Board at Cobourg described him as a high-grade imbecile and recommended Category E discharge to civil life.
1919-02-10 — Discharged from Cobourg Military Hospital to No. 4 District Depot.
1919-02-17 — Discharged at Montreal as medically unfit, Category E.
1962-11-05 — Department of Veterans Affairs recorded the death of John White, also known as W. Pariseau.

Notes

At enlistment Pariseau was recorded as a single Roman Catholic painter, 5 ft 3 in tall, weighing 134 lb, with a chest measurement of 32 in minimum and 35 in maximum expansion. His mother, Mrs. Melina Pariseau, was named as next of kin. The record contains conflicting ages and birthplace statements and does not establish an exact date of birth.

Additional Service Notes

William Pariseau enlisted at Montreal on 11 February 1916 as Private 847417 and served in England with the 69th and 64th Battalions. After psychiatric treatment in 1917 he was discharged at Montreal on 10 June 1917 as medically unfit, with epilepsy recorded as existing before enlistment. He later served under the name John White, service number 4035114, first with the 2nd Depot Battalion, 2nd Quebec Regiment and then the Canadian Railway Troops. He served in France with the 1st Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops before being hospitalized for mental symptoms, invalided to England and then Canada, and discharged at Montreal on 17 February 1919 as medically unfit.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

In his 1916 attestation Pariseau named his mother, Mrs. Melina Pariseau of 33...

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-02 02:05:03 by: marc