Private Athanase Thomas Dextras

Athanase Dextras, who served under the name Thomas Dextras, was born at Cornwall, Ontario, on 3 April 1897. He had previously served in the Canadian Forestry Corps during the First World War as 2157455 from 14 March 1917 to 1 April 1919, including service in France. He enlisted at Montreal on 8 May 1940 as D-57236 with Le Régiment de Maisonneuve. His Second World War service was entirely in Canada. After becoming illegally absent on 21 November 1940, he was declared a deserter by a Court of Inquiry on 12 December 1940. He was apprehended on 16 October 1941 and returned to military control; the charge was subsequently reduced to absence without leave and he was awarded detention. A Medical Board later found him unable to meet the required military physical standards because of a recurrent neck cyst and defective vision, and he was medically discharged at Montreal South on 25 February 1942. 

1897-04-03 — Born
1917-03-14 — Enlisted for First World War service as 2157455
1917-1919 — First World War service included France
1919-04-01 — First World War service ended
1940-05-08 — Taken on strength on enlistment as Private
1940-06-26 — Swore declaration that Athanase Dextras was his true name; he had enlisted as Thomas Dextras
1940-08-31 — Struck off strength of Regimental Depot on transfer to No. 4 District Depot
1940-09-01 — Taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot
1940-09-27 — Attached for all purposes to Canadian Military Training Centre, St-Jérôme
1940-11-08 — Taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot
1940-11-21 — Became absent without leave from 0800 hours
1940-12-12 — Court of Inquiry declared him illegally absent/deserter and struck him off strength; automatically forfeited pay from 21 November to 12 December 1940
1941-10-16 — Apprehended; taken on strength and held in close arrest
1941-11-15 — Desertion charge reduced to absence without leave; awarded 28 days detention and forfeiture of pay
1941-12-06 — Admitted sick with infected finger while undergoing detention
1941-12-08 — Granted remission of four days detention; forfeiture of pay amended from 58 to 54 days
1941-12-11 — Discharged from Longueuil Military Hospital
1942-02-10 — Medical Board considered recurrent neck cyst and defective vision
1942-02-18 — Medical Board recommendation approved
1942-02-25 — Medically discharged as unable to meet the required military physical standards
1942-07-22 — War Service Badge, General Service Class, acknowledged/processed
1950-02 — Veterans Affairs processed medal entitlement correspondence
1971-08 — Veterans Affairs confirmed entitlement to War Medal 1939-45 only; insufficient qualifying service for CVSM and Defence Medal