Leading Aircraftman Jean Baptiste Lecompte

Jean Baptiste Lecompte was born in Valleyfield, Quebec, on 4 August 1918, the son of Clément Lecompte and Délima Renaud. He attended Notre-Dame de Bellerive school and worked in textile mills and as a machinist before enlisting in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 8 August 1941, service number R127017. He began in general duties, served at No. 10 Air Observer School in Chatham, New Brunswick, and became a Leading Aircraftman in May 1942. He sailed from Halifax on 16 May 1943 and arrived in the United Kingdom on 24 May. After postings at Middleton St. George and No. 127 Headquarters, he joined RCAF Overseas Headquarters and the Canadian Overseas Postal Depot. He became a postal clerk, Group C, as an Aircraftman First Class on 1 November 1943. In 1944 he moved to the Mediterranean theatre, serving with Canadian postal units in North Africa and Italy, including Canadian Forces Posts at Naples. He was promoted Leading Aircraftman and mustered Clerk Postal, Group B, on 1 October 1944. He returned to Britain in April 1945 and resumed work with the Canadian Overseas Postal Depot. Lecompte returned to Canada in October 1945 and was honourably discharged at Lachine on 5 December 1945. His awards were the 1939–45 Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, and War Medal 1939–45. He received War Service Badge 705452. By September 1946 he was married and living at Windsor Mills. His application to rejoin the RCAF was unsuccessful; in 1947 he was living in Montreal and sought an out-of-work allowance after employment ended because of lack of work. He died in Montreal on 30 July 1979, aged 60, and was buried in Valleyfield Catholic Cemetery, Field of Honour.

1918-08-04 — Born to Clément Lecompte and Délima Renaud; Valleyfield, Quebec.
1934 to 1939 — Worked at Montreal Cottons Ltd in general work; Valleyfield, Quebec.
1939 to 1940 — Worked for Dominion Textile Company; Montreal.
1939-12 — An earlier application for pilot training did not meet the qualifications; RCAF.
1940 to 1941 — Worked as a machinist for Pepsi-Cola Company; Valleyfield, Quebec.
1940-06-13 — Montreal Cottons Ltd provided an employment reference covering the preceding five years; Valleyfield, Quebec.
1941-08 — A later application records recruit training at Valcartier during August–September 1941
1941-08-07 — Applied for RCAF service; recorded Grade 6 schooling, French and English, and swimming, tennis, running, wrestling and boxing; Montreal.
1941-08-08 — Enlisted in the RCAF Special Reserve for active service for the duration of the war; AC2, general duties, R127017; Montreal.
1941-08-08 — Taken on strength of No. 4 Manning Depot; St. Hubert.
1941-08-20 — Posting/departure entry preceded transfer to No. 10 Air Observer School; RCAF.
1941-08-21 — Taken on strength of No. 10 Air Observer School; Chatham, New Brunswick.
1941-12-30 to 1942-01-05 — Granted New Year's leave; No. 10 Air Observer School.
1942-01-05 to 1942-01-06 — Absent without leave for 24 hours; awarded three days confined to barracks on 6 January; Chatham.
1942-01-08 — Advanced to Aircraftman First Class (AC1); other copied cards give 8 November 1941; No. 10 Air Observer School.
1942-02-16 to 1942-03-02 — Granted annual leave; No. 10 Air Observer School.
1942-03-02 to 1942-03-03 — Absent without leave for 29 hours 15 minutes; awarded seven days confined to camp and forfeited two days' pay on 4 March; Chatham.
1942-05-30 — Advanced to Leading Aircraftman (LAC); one summary gives 20 May; No. 10 Air Observer School.
1942-06-19 — A temporary-duty entry was recorded; destination is not stated; No. 10 Air Observer School.
1942-06-22 to 1942-07-06 — Granted annual leave; No. 10 Air Observer School.
1942-07-06 — Absent without leave for ten hours; awarded seven days confined to barracks and forfeited one day's pay on 7 July; Chatham.
1942-11-01 — Victory Loan deduction of $8.41 commenced; RCAF pay account.
1943-04 — Named his father as next of kin and recorded his mother as deceased; Valleyfield.
1943-04-02 — An order recorded his posting toward the overseas embarkation depot; No. 10 Air Observer School.
1943-04-06 — Certified fit for overseas service and transferred to No. 1 Y Depot; a movement summary dates the depot entry 7 April; Halifax.
1943-04-07 to 1943-04-20 — Granted embarkation leave; No. 1 Y Depot.
1943-05-15 — Placed in the overseas transport pool; RCAF.
1943-05-16 — Embarked for the United Kingdom; Halifax.
1943-05-24 — Disembarked in the United Kingdom and entered No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre
1943-06-08 — Posted to the station at Middleton St. George; United Kingdom.
1943-08-21 to 1943-08-27 — Granted seven days' leave with additional 48-hour leave noted; United Kingdom.
1943-09-02 — Posted to No. 127 Headquarters; United Kingdom.
1943-09-20 — Transferred to RCAF Overseas Headquarters and attached to the RCAF section of the Canadian Overseas Postal Depot; United Kingdom.
1943-10-31 — Recorded fiancée Annette Allard of 2480 Morin Street, Saint-Hyacinthe; RCAF.
1943-11-01 — Reclassified AC1 and mustered as Clerk Postal, Group C; Canadian Overseas Postal Depot.
1944-01-15 — Recorded entitlement to the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp; RCAF.
1944-01-31 to 1944-02-07 — Granted leave; Canadian Overseas Postal Depot.
1944-03-06 — Clerk Postal Group B pay became effective; formal trade mustering followed on 1 October; Canadian Overseas Postal Depot.
1944-07-10 — Certified fit for an overseas posting; RCAF.
1944-07-21 to 1944-08-03 — Granted embarkation leave; United Kingdom.
1944-08-06 — Ceased attachment to the Canadian Overseas Postal Depot; United Kingdom.
1944-08-07 — Transferred from Overseas Headquarters to No. 1 Personnel Despatch Centre; United Kingdom.
1944-08-08 — Taken on strength at West Kirby; United Kingdom.
1944-08-24 — Embarked from the United Kingdom for the Mediterranean theatre
1944-09-05 — Administratively posted to RCAF District Headquarters, Italy
1944-09-07 — Attached to the Canadian section of 5 BAPO at Algiers
1944-09-14 — An attachment entry records No. 3 BPD; the full designation is not established; Mediterranean theatre.
1944-10 — Later applications describe movement from North Africa to service in Italy during October, with differing dates
1944-10-01 — Promoted LAC and formally mustered Clerk Postal, Group B; RCAF.
1944-10-04 — An arrival report records disembarkation in the Central Mediterranean Force
1945-01 — Serving with Canadian Forces Posts, Naples; Naples, Italy.
1945-01-10 — Disobeyed an order at Pomigliano; remanded on 14 January and awarded seven days confined to camp with restricted privileges on 17 January; Pomigliano, Italy.
1945-02-08 to 1945-02-18 — Admitted to Field Hospital, Naples, with fever, cough, headache and an inflamed throat; improved and returned to duty on 18 February
1945-03-15 — Struck off RCAF District Headquarters, Italy
1945-03-16 — Taken on strength of District Headquarters, Middle East, and attached to Canadian Forces Posts, Naples
1945-04-14 — Ceased attachment to Canadian Forces Posts, Naples, transferred to Overseas Headquarters and embarked for the United Kingdom
1945-04-16 — Disembarked at Biggin Hill; United Kingdom.
1945-04-18 — Entered No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre at Bournemouth; United Kingdom.
1945-04-21 to 1945-05-05 — Granted disembarkation leave; United Kingdom.
1945-05-16 — Returned to Overseas Headquarters and attachment to the Canadian Overseas Postal Depot; United Kingdom.
1945-05-17 — Treated as an outpatient at Middlesex Hospital for scabies following an RCAF referral; London.
1945-06-25 to 1945-07-02 — Granted annual leave; United Kingdom.
1945-08-06 to 1945-08-13 — Granted annual leave; United Kingdom.
1945-09-13 — 1939–45 Star, Italy Star and Defence Medal entitlements entered in his service record; RCAF.
1945-09-27 — Ceased attachment to the Canadian Overseas Postal Depot; United Kingdom.
1945-09-28 — Transferred to the repatriation depot; United Kingdom.
1945-10-22 — Posting for return to Canada recorded; RCAF.
1945-10-23 — Returned to Canada and taken on strength of No. 1 Repatriation Depot; Lachine.
1945-10-30 — Struck off No. 1 Repatriation Depot for release; Lachine.
1945-10-30 to 1945-11-29 — Granted special leave; a summary gives an ending date of 28 November; Canada.
1945-10-31 — Taken on strength of No. 2 Release Centre; Lachine.
1945-12-03 — Release examination recorded a non-medical discharge; he reported eye trouble for about four months; Lachine.
1945-12-04 — Release dental assessment recorded extraction, fillings and an upper partial denture requirement; Lachine.
1945-12-05 — Honourably discharged as LAC, postal clerk, under KR(Air) 195(17); transferred to RCAF Reserve, General Section, Class E; Lachine.
1945-12-05 — Received War Service Badge 705452; Lachine.
1945-12-21 — Baptism extract, employment reference and will returned; RCAF.
1946-01-07 — Initial war-service gratuity calculation recorded $724.26; RCAF accounts.
1946-01-22 — Gratuity audit questioned dependent allowance paid to his father; subsequent correspondence confirmed the allowance; RCAF accounts.
1946-02-12 — Revised gratuity total was $752.61, with $100.53 Victory Loan deduction and net $652.08 in seven $93.15 instalments; RCAF accounts.
1946-07-11 — Final re-establishment credit payment of $613.25 authorized for furniture, payable to La Compagnie Legare Ltée of Richmond; Windsor Mills.
1946-08-15 — Post-service dental treatment was approved, including an upper partial denture with gold clasps; Veterans Affairs.
1946-09-30 — Applied for Interim RCAF service, preferring postal, storekeeper or general duties work; was now married and living at Windsor Mills
1946-11-07 — Application for further RCAF service was not recommended; selection score was 59
1947-02-05 — Employment at LAUZON LAUZON LTEE ended because of lack of work after approximately twelve months; Montreal.
1947-02-15 — Applied for an out-of-work allowance; supported his unnamed wife and reported no dependent children or parents; 6839 Christophe Colomb, Montreal.
1947-03-06 — District Rehabilitation Board authorized an allowance effective 15 February; amount appears to be $50; Montreal.
1947-06-05 — Recorded final date of allowance eligibility, eighteen months after release; Veterans Affairs.
1979-07-30 — Died in Montreal, aged 60; buried in Valleyfield Catholic Cemetery, Field of Honour