Fusilier Paul Henri Lusignan

Paul Henri Lusignan was born in Montreal, Quebec, on 6 January 1925. His parents were François Lusignan and Laura Corbeil. He trained in tailoring at Mont-Saint-Antoine, played clarinet in its brass band, and worked as a machine operator and munitions worker at the Cherrier plant in Saint-Paul-l'Ermite before being called up under the National Resources Mobilization Act. He entered the Canadian Army at Montreal South on 15 November 1943, service number D650518. His Second World War service was in Canada. He trained at S-18 School of Army Instruction in Saint-Jérôme and A-12 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Farnham, then served with Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke at Joliette and No. 4 District Depot at Montreal South. His service included repeated absences without leave and periods of detention; after his final return in April 1945 he sought work as a driver. A prolonged fever led to hospitalization at Longueuil and Montreal in June–July 1945 and subsequent reconditioning at No. 4 Convalescent Camp in Huntingdon. He later worked in an officers' mess and was demobilized as a Private at Montreal South on 3 April 1946. His records list the War Medal 1939–45 and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. He married Anita Myre at Sainte-Agnès-de-Dundee on 17 August 1946. Their daughters were Suzanne and Nicole. He worked for Merck, International Nickel at Sudbury, and on his father-in-law's farm. On 18 August 1950 he enlisted in the Canadian Army Special Force, number D801273, and served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment. After training at Valcartier and Fort Lewis in the United States, he embarked for the Far East on 19 April 1951 and arrived at Pusan, Korea, on 4 May. On 11 May 1951 he was struck by a truck near his camp, suffering a skull fracture and concussion. He was treated at the Swedish Red Cross Hospital and later at Kure, Japan. Persistent dizziness, headaches and left-ear hearing loss led to evacuation to Canada. He was released from the Special Force on health grounds on 12 October 1951 and later received a disability pension. His Korean service medals were the Korea Medal, United Nations Service Medal and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea, the last awarded on 13 March 1992. He died in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield on 16 September 1995, aged 70.

1925-01-06 — Born in Montreal, Quebec
1938 to 1940 — A later release history reports helping his father on a small farm; this differs from the November 1943 account of no farming experience; Quebec.
1940 — Later histories report Grade VIII completed in Montreal; the 1943 assessment records Grade IX and tailoring studies at Mont-Saint-Antoine; Montreal, Quebec.
1940 to 1943 — Worked and trained in tailoring, including Mont-Saint-Antoine; Montreal, Quebec.
1943 — Worked for three to four months as a machine operator/munitions worker at the Cherrier plant, Canadian Car Munitions Company; Saint-Paul-l'Ermite, Quebec.
1943-11-15 — Enrolled under the National Resources Mobilization Act, D650518, as a Private at No. 4 District Depot; Montreal South, Quebec.
1943-11-15 — Medical examination recorded asymptomatic flat feet, height 5 feet 4¾ inches, weight 135 pounds, and a scar on his right knee; Montreal South, Quebec.
1943-11-17 — Declared his mother Laura Lusignan (Corbeil), of Saint-Paul-l'Ermite, as next of kin; parents lived apart and he was single; Montreal South, Quebec.
1943-11-17 — Executed his wartime will; Montreal South, Quebec.
1943-11-18 — Dental examination at NRMA Clearing Depot No. 4; fingerprinting and photography also recorded around this date; Montreal South, Quebec.
1943-12-05 — Attached to No. 3 District Depot for physiological tests; the typed posting gives Ottawa and a handwritten entry gives Kingston; Ontario.
1944-01-03 — Typed order records completion of physiological tests and cessation of attachment to No. 3 District Depot; handwritten entry gives 30 December 1943; Montreal, Quebec.
1944-01-13 — Struck off No. 4 District Depot for S-18 School of Army Instruction; Montreal South, Quebec.
1944-01-14 — Taken on strength of S-18 School of Army Instruction; Saint-Jérôme, Quebec.
1944-02-04 to 1944-02-05 — Absent without leave for fourteen hours; on 7 February awarded two days confined to barracks and forfeited one day's pay; Saint-Jérôme, Quebec.
1944-02-15 — Personnel interview recorded difficulty adjusting to army life and referred him for further assessment; Saint-Jérôme, Quebec.
1944-03-01 — Psychiatric assessment found no psychiatric disability, fit for duty, and recommended continuing service; Saint-Jérôme, Quebec.
1944-03-15 — Pay rate of $1.40 per day became effective; Canadian Army.
1944-04-08 — Struck off S-18 for A-12 Canadian Infantry Training Centre; absence without leave began that night; Saint-Jérôme, Quebec.
1944-04-09 — Taken on strength of A-12 Canadian Infantry Training Centre while absent; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-05-05 — Court of inquiry declared him illegally absent from 8 April; struck off strength as a deserter, with kit deficiencies $22.68 and forfeiture of 28 days' pay; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-05-20 — An absentee/deserter description was issued concerning his absence from A-12; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-06-10 — Detailed movement record states apprehension by civil authorities and restoration to A-12; correspondence instead records surrender on 11 June and restoration on 12 June; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-06-13 — Awarded 21 days' detention for the April–June absence and associated offence; total forfeiture of 94 days' pay and stoppage of $23.88 recorded; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-06-14 — Director of Records requested the order restoring him from desertion; Ottawa, Ontario.
1944-07-10 — Absent without leave from 0100 to 2230; awarded three days confined to barracks and forfeiture of one day's pay on 11 July; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-08-07 to 1944-08-13 — Absent without leave; detailed card ends the absence at 2330, while reconstructed conduct record gives 2230; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-08-15 — Awarded fourteen days' detention and forfeited 22 days' pay for the August absence; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-08-16 — Attached from A-12 to No. 4 Military Detention Barracks for rations, quarters and discipline; a typed entry dates attachment 13 August; Montreal, Quebec.
1944-08-29 — Typed entry records cessation of detention-barracks attachment; handwritten entry gives 28 August; Montreal, Quebec.
1944-10-14 to 1944-10-26 — Absent without leave from 0615 on 14 October to 0800 on 26 October; then placed under close arrest; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-10-27 — Awarded 21 days' detention and forfeiture of 34 days' pay; Farnham, Quebec.
1944-10-27 to 1944-10-31 — Hospitalized for right-elbow abscesses with axillary adenitis; treated and returned to detention on 31 October; Farnham Military Hospital, Quebec.
1944-10-28 — An order records attachment to No. 4 Military Detention Barracks; supporting attachment/cessation orders were not located in the copied record; Montreal, Quebec.
1944-12-01 — Transferred from A-12 to No. 42 Basic Training Centre; Joliette, Quebec.
1944-12-04 — Departure for Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke was entered, cancelled and apparently reinstated; a related AWOL entry was cancelled; Joliette, Quebec.
1944-12-05 — Taken on strength of Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke; Joliette, Quebec.
1944-12-15 to 1944-12-26 — Granted special leave; Joliette, Quebec.
1944-12-26 — Absence without leave began at 2359 while with Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke; Joliette, Quebec.
1945-01-08 — Struck off Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke to No. 4 District Depot while absent; Joliette, Quebec.
1945-01-09 — Taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot while absent without leave; Montreal, Quebec.
1945-01-25 — Struck off strength as a deserter following a court of inquiry apparently held on 22 January concerning the absence begun 26 December; Montreal, Quebec.
1945-02-18 — Original conduct record destroyed by fire at No. 4 District Depot; disciplinary entries subsequently reconstructed; Montreal South, Quebec.
1945-04-12 — Surrendered from desertion at 0230, restored to No. 4 District Depot and placed under close arrest; Montreal South, Quebec.
1945-04-17 — Awarded 28 days' detention for the December–April absence and negligent loss of kit; deficiencies and stoppage $37.67, with 33 days' pay forfeiture; Montreal South, Quebec.
1945-05-14 — Released from detention; Montreal South, Quebec.
1945-05-30 — Interviewed after detention; reported seven months driving for Rivet Transport, wanted driver/mechanic work, and was recommended refresher training and General List classification; Montreal South, Quebec.
1945-05-31 — Transferred from the Canadian Infantry Corps to the General List; Montreal South, Quebec.
1945-06-03 — Developed fever, sore throat and joint pain while on pass and reported an episode of unconsciousness; Quebec.
1945-06-04 to 1945-06-07 — Admitted to Longueuil Military Hospital with fever and chills; transferred for further investigation on 7 June; Longueuil, Quebec.
1945-06-07 to 1945-07-20 — Treated at Montreal Military Hospital for pyrexia of unknown origin/pharyngitis; suspected polio was not established; Montreal, Quebec.
1945-07-20 — Discharged from Montreal Military Hospital and struck off No. 4 District Depot for No. 4 Convalescent Camp; Montreal, Quebec.
1945-07-21 — Taken on strength of No. 4 Convalescent Camp for progressive reconditioning; reported loss of 25 pounds; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-08-19 to 1945-08-24 — Absent without leave until surrender at noon on 24 August; claimed illness during leave; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-08-24 — Awarded seven days confined to barracks and seven days' summary forfeiture, plus five days' pay forfeiture for the absence; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-08-29 — Reported feeling well without complaints during reconditioning; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-09-18 — Completed retraining/reconditioning; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-09-19 — Assessed for further basic training in a French-speaking unit; a proposed TC44 posting is not evidence that the transfer occurred; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-10-08 — Dental treatment record marked completed; Canadian Army.
1945-10-14 — Struck off the Holding Establishment of No. 4 Convalescent Camp; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-10-15 — Absorbed into the Home War Establishment of No. 4 Convalescent Camp; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-12-28 to 1946-01-01 — Granted New Year's leave; handwritten date range is somewhat uncertain; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1946 — Worked for Merck for seven months as a laboratory man
1946-01-10 — Granted six months' leave without pay and allowances; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1946-01-11 — Struck off No. 4 Convalescent Camp to No. 4 District Depot while on leave without pay; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1946-01-12 — Taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot while on leave without pay, scheduled through 10 July; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-04-02 — Release examination found no current disability and approved all-one PULHEMS ratings; dental requirements were assessed; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-04-02 — Vocational counsellor recorded accepted temporary labouring employment at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Huntingdon; recommended further tailoring training and referral to NES and DVA; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-04-03 — Demobilized as a Private from No. 4 District Depot under CARO 1029 paragraph 5; address 110 Notre-Dame Street, Saint-Paul-l'Ermite; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-04-09 — No. 4 District Depot issued discharge communication confirming release on 3 April; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-05-02 — Wartime will returned to him at 110 Notre-Dame Street, Saint-Paul-l'Ermite; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-08-17 — Married Anita Myre (Myres/Myers in service records); Sainte-Agnès-de-Dundee, Quebec.
1947 — Daughter Suzanne was born; remaining birth-date details are redacted
1947 — Worked for International Nickel in Sudbury for approximately one year; Sudbury, Ontario.
1947-07 — A later family history reports his father died aged 57 of angina; a 1945 account had already reported his father's death in an accident; Quebec.
1948 — Daughter Nicole was born; remaining birth-date details are redacted
1948 to 1950 — Worked on his father-in-law's farm; Sainte-Agnès-de-Dundee, Quebec.
1950-08-18 — Voluntarily enlisted in the Canadian Army Special Force as a Private, RCIC, D801273, for eighteen months; Montreal, Quebec.
1950-08-28 — Struck off No. 4 Personnel Depot for 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment; Montreal, Quebec.
1950-08-29 — Taken on strength of 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment and commenced infantry training; Valcartier, Quebec.
1950-09-01 — Pay allotment to Anita Lusignan amended from $76 to $103; Sainte-Agnès-de-Dundee, Quebec.
1950-09-12 — Interview recommended continued soldier/bandsman training with 2 R22eR; marriage allowance application confirmed his marriage and two children; Valcartier, Quebec.
1950-09-19 — Movement record records admission to Quebec Military Hospital; clinical hospital records date admission 27 September; Quebec City, Quebec.
1950-09-27 to 1950-10-02 — Treated at Quebec Veterans' Hospital for influenza and returned to duty recovered on 2 October; Quebec City, Quebec.
1950-10-20 — Struck off 2 R22eR to the Home Establishment of 1 R22eR; Valcartier, Quebec.
1950-10-21 — Taken on strength of Home Establishment, 1 R22eR; Valcartier, Quebec.
1950-11-07 — Struck off Home Establishment, 1 R22eR, for 2 R22eR; Valcartier, Quebec.
1950-11-08 — Taken on strength of 2 R22eR; Fort Lewis, Washington, United States.
1950-11-16 — Taken on strength of CASF (USA) and granted special leave allowance; Fort Lewis, Washington, United States.
1951-02-02 — Recorded first offence of drunkenness and admonished; later cancellation annotations have uncertain scope; Fort Lewis, Washington, United States.
1951-04-19 — Embarked from the United States for the Far East; theatre-of-operations service counted from this date
1951-04-20 — Administrative Far East strength and foreign allowance became effective while in transit; Canadian Army Special Force.
1951-05-04 — Disembarked in the Far East; medical history places arrival at Pusan; Pusan, South Korea.
1951-05-11 — Struck by a truck near camp at Pusan, suffering a skull fracture and concussion; admitted to the Swedish Red Cross Hospital and underwent treatment; Pusan, South Korea.
1951-05-12 — Casualty records entered admission to 25 Canadian Field Ambulance and transfer to the Swedish Red Cross Hospital; injury declaration described serious potential disability; Pusan, South Korea.
1951-05-13 — Taken on strength of X-3 List, No. 2 Canadian Administrative Unit; signed account of the accident and inquiry arrangements recorded; Pusan, South Korea.
1951-05-15 — 25 Canadian Infantry Brigade reported his injury to Army Headquarters and stated an inquiry was being held; South Korea.
1951-05-26 — Transferred to BCOF General Hospital; Kure, Japan.
1951-06-01 — ENT examination removed a dried clot; eardrum intact and hearing described as virtually normal at that examination; Kure, Japan.
1951-06-29 — Discharged from BCOF General Hospital after 48 hospital days and struck off X-3 List for X-9 List; Kure, Japan.
1951-06-30 — Taken on strength of X-9 List, No. 2 Canadian Administrative Unit; Kure, Japan.
1951-07-12 — Specialist review diagnosed traumatic encephalopathy after skull fracture and a left labyrinth injury with serious hearing impairment; recommended evacuation to Canada; Kure, Japan.
1951-07-19 — Order directed his return to Canada for treatment or discharge; struck off X-9 List for X-8 List; Kure, Japan.
1951-07-20 — Taken on strength of X-8 List, No. 2 Canadian Administrative Unit; Kure, Japan.
1951-07-28 — Foreign allowance ceased and administrative transfer from Far East to Canada recorded; Canadian Army Special Force.
1951-07-29 — Movement card enters No. 4 Personnel Depot strength from X-8 List; repatriation list subsequently gives 31 July after arrival at Vancouver; Montreal, Quebec.
1951-07-30 — Wife advised he was being evacuated by air and expected in Vancouver that day; casualty card also dates evacuation 30 July; Vancouver, British Columbia.
1951-07-31 — Repatriation list confirms arrival at Vancouver and records Canada strength date; theatre-of-operations service ended; Vancouver, British Columbia.
1951-08-06 to 1951-09-04 — Granted special disembarkation leave, subject to recall, at No. 4 Personnel Depot; Sainte-Agnès-de-Dundee, Quebec.
1951-08-22 to 1951-08-26 — Additional leave entry recorded in service book; Canadian Army Special Force.
1951-09-10 — Release assessment confirmed P5/H2, with approval on 13 September; vocational counsellor recommended support for his plan to establish a farm in Huntingdon County; Montreal, Quebec.
1951-09-13 — Granted thirty days' annual leave at No. 4 Personnel Depot; Montreal, Quebec.
1951-10-12 — Honourably released from the Special Force on medical grounds under KR(Army) 15.01(3); Montreal, Quebec.
1951-10-17 — Special Force will returned following release; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-05-10 — Veterans Affairs sought records of his hospital care in the Far East after the May 1951 accident; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-05-27 — Veterans Affairs made an initial inquiry for the accident proceedings; referred to in later correspondence; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-07-03 — Veterans Affairs again requested inquiry proceedings, following an earlier 27 May letter; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-07-08 — Army Headquarters sent certified injury report and requested inquiry proceedings from 25 Canadian Infantry Brigade; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-10 — Brigade telegram reported no inquiry record with 1 R22eR and identified his service with 2 R22eR; South Korea.
1952-10-10 — A partly obscured note records a Veterans Affairs request to hasten inquiry proceedings; handwritten date is uncertain; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-10-11 — Army Headquarters repeated request for Board of Inquiry minutes; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-10-24 — Canadian Pension Commission sought urgent resolution of missing inquiry proceedings for his pension claim; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-10-25 — Assistant Deputy Minister recorded renewed pension-commission request for accident inquiry proceedings; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-10-27 — Deputy Minister reported inquiry proceedings were not held by Army Headquarters or the brigade and investigations continued; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-10-30 — Director of Administration requested an urgent search of Quebec Command for accident inquiry proceedings; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-11-04 — Quebec Command reported no inquiry record found locally or in Eastern Quebec Area; Montreal, Quebec.
1952-11-21 — Deputy Minister reported inquiries established no Board of Inquiry had been convened; injury report and specialist case sheet remained available; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-12-02 — Pension Commission adjudicated skull fracture as incurred during service, assessed disability at 10%, and awarded pension effective the day after Special Force discharge; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-12-05 — Pension Commission medical adviser requested the report concerning his Pusan injury; Ottawa, Ontario.
1952-12-10 — War Service Records made his service record and 13 May 1951 report available to the pension commission; Ottawa, Ontario.
1954-12-22 — United Nations Service Medal dispatched; Veterans Affairs.
1988-01-11 — Authorized release of his medical file to Dr. Lyle Waldman at Les Transports Provost; Ottawa, Ontario.
1988-01-20 — Provost health nurse requested his medical file with his authorization; Ville d'Anjou, Quebec.
1988-02-04 — Veterans Affairs corresponded concerning the authorized medical-file request; Ottawa, Ontario.
1988-02-15 — National Archives supplied significant medical-file documents to Dr. Waldman; Ottawa, Ontario.
1988-07-12 — Pension statement recorded $129.38 disability pension plus $32.35 for spouse, total $161.73; Canadian Pension Commission.
1988-07-31 — Wrote from 76 Filiatrault, Valleyfield, identifying himself as a Korean War veteran and requesting a badge; Valleyfield, Quebec.
1992-03-13 — Awarded Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea; Canada.
1993-02-01 — Rideau Hall certified the 13 March 1992 award of the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea; Ottawa, Ontario.
1995-09-16 — Died in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, aged 70; Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec.