|
May 15, 1899
|
Born in Aylmer, Quebec to Moise “Moses” and
Denise (nee Dozois) Souliere
|
|
Mar 26, 1916
|
Attested into the 136th Battalion CEF
in Port Hope, Ontario
Ø Number 805530
Ø Next of kin given as Moses
Souliere, father, Aylmer, Quebec
Ø Previous occupation given as
Labourer
Ø No previous military
experience given
Ø Religion given as Roman
Catholic
Ø Posted to “C” Company
The battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario
area
Victor Souliere lied about his age, stating that
he had been born in 1897 instead of his actual birth year of 1899
|
|
Sep 25, 1916
|
Embarked the SS Corsican in Halifax, Nova Scotia
|
|
Oct 6, 1916
|
Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded
to the West Sandling Camp where the battalion was absorbed into the 39th
Reserve Battalion to continue training
|
|
Dec 7, 1916
|
Transferred to the 64th Battalion in
Shoreham
|
|
Feb 6, 1917
|
Noted by Medical Board as being under age and
reclassified A4
|
|
Feb 28, 1917
|
Transferred to the 6th Reserve
Battalion in East Sandling. Shortly
after this the battalion moved to Seaford to train reinforcements for the
front
|
|
Apr 21, 1917
|
Transferred to the 21st Battalion
|
|
Apr 22, 1917
|
Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 3,000 reinforcements from
England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
|
|
May 11, 1917
|
After leaving the base depot, he joined the 2nd
Canadian Entrenching Battalion in Hersin, France as part of a draft of 34
reinforcements destined to join the 21st Battalion
|
|
Jun 12, 1917
|
After leaving the entrenching battalion, Private
Souliere joined the 21st Battalion resting and training in billets
in Coupigny, France
|
|
Nov 9, 1917
|
While on a work party near the town of
Passchendaele, Belgium, the group he was with was hit by a high explosive
artillery shell and Private Souliere received wounds to his face and neck and
was first evacuated to a field ambulance for first aid before being
transported to the No. 10 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) for treatment
|
|
Nov 11, 1917
|
Transported by the No 16 AT (Ambulance Train) and
admitted to the No. 5 General Hospital in Rouen
|
|
Nov 13, 1917
|
Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship
Panama
On arrival in England he was admitted to the 1st
Southern General Hospital in Birmingham
Posted to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental
Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
|
|
Nov 28, 1917
|
Transferred to the Woodcote Park Canadian
Convalescent Hospital in Epsom
|
|
Feb 4, 1918
|
Discharged from hospital care and transferred to
the 6th Reserve Battalion in Seaford
|
|
Mar 28, 1918
|
Transferred to the 21st Battalion
|
|
Mar 29, 1918
|
Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base
Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a draft of 50 reinforcements from
England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
|
|
Apr 3, 1918
|
After leaving the base depot, he joined the CC
Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Calonne Ricouart, France as
part of a draft of 98 reinforcements destined to join the 21st
Battalion
|
|
Apr 12, 1918
|
After leaving the reinforcement camp, Private
Souliere joined the 21st Battalion in the front lines near
Mercatel, France
|
|
May 4, 1918
|
Declared to be absent
|
|
May 11, 1918
|
Placed under arrest and charged with desertion
|
|
May 18, 1918
|
While in detention awaiting Court Martial, the
battalion received a Bronze Medal for Private Souliere that was earned in the
Falling Plate competition at the Canadian Corps Rifle Meet that had been held
in Villers au Bois, France, September 12, 1917
|
|
May 21, 1918
|
Field General Court Martial held and he was
charged with
- Desertion
- Absent Without Leave
Private Souliere pled not guilty to both charges
After testimony was given, he was found Not
Guilty of the first charge, but Guilty of the second charge and sentenced to
56 days Field Punishment No. 1 and forfeited 7 day’s pay
|
|
|
|
Nov 11, 1918
|
Noted as being a Runner and in the battalion’s
war diary as being a member of “D” Company
|
|
Apr 3, 1919
|
Embarked the Western Australia in Havre
Disembarked in England and proceeded to Witley
and posted to the “P” Wing for processing of paper work to return to Canada
|
|
May 8, 1919
|
At 11.30 pm a disturbance took place at the
Witley Camp and a number of soldiers attempted to break into the camp’s
tobacco store. When troops prevented
the men from entering, it was claimed that Private Souliere said “come on
fellows, lets get some ammunition and lets clean them up”.
He was arrested and charged with
- Endeavoring to cause a
mutiny
- Conduct to the prejudice
of good order and military discipline by enticing men to obtain
ammunition to break into the stores
- Conduct to the prejudice
of good order and military discipline by attempting to break into the
tobacco stores
|
|
May 11, 1919
|
Court Martial was held at Witley and Private
Souliere pled not guilty to all 3 charges.
After testimony was given, he was found not guilty of charges 1 and 3,
but guilty of charge number 2 and sentenced to 2 years IHL (In Hard Labour)
The Court Martial record indicates that he was a
member of the Communication Section of the 21st Battalion
|
|
|
|
May 12, 1919
|
Transferred to the EORD (Eastern Ontario
Regimental Depot) for records purposes and incarcerated in the Gosport
Military Prison, Forton, England
|
|
|
|
Sep 11, 1919
|
Posted to the 1st CDD (Canadian
Discharge Depot) for records purposes while in prison
|
|
Oct 15, 1919
|
The sentence of Hard Labour is commuted to read
Detention and on completion of sentence to be discharged from military
service “For Misconduct”.
Transferred to the Wandsworth Detention Barracks,
London
|
|
|
|
Oct 22, 1919
|
Released from prison and embarked the SS Royal
George in Southampton
|
|
Nov 1, 1919
|
Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia
|
|
Nov 6, 1919
|
Discharged from the CEF in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Ø Rank on discharge Private
Ø War Service Badge Class “A”
issued number 403781
Ø Proposed residence on
discharge Notre Dame St., Aylmer, Quebec
Ø Reason for discharge
Misconduct
o
This
was changed April 1, 1920 to read Demobilization
Ø Not entitled to receive the
War Service Gratuity
Following the change to the reason for discharge,
the British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him c/o the Post
Office, Aylmer, Quebec
Following the war:
Ø 1919 -1925 employed as a
motorman on Hull, Quebec street cars
Ø 1925 – 1931 employed on police
staff at Federal Parliament Buildings
Ø 1931 -1937 employed as
constable on police force in Aylmer, Quebec
Ø 1937 – 1939 unemployed
|
|
Jan 1, 1921
|
Married to Blanche Victoria Guertin in Aylmer,
Quebec
|
|
Sep 8, 1939
|
Attested into the No. 5 Casualty Clearing
Station, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in Ottawa, Ontario
Ø Number C27232
Ø Next of kin given as Victoria
Souliere, wife, Aylmer, Quebec
Ø Previous occupation given as
Police
Ø Previous military experience
given as 21st Battalion CEF in WW1, 1916 to 1919
Ø Religion given as Roman
Catholic
He lied about his age again, this time making
himself younger, stating his birth date as being December 6, 1900
The unit first trained in Ottawa, then moved to
Camp Petawawa, near Pembroke, Ontario for further training
|
|
Sep 15, 1939
|
Appointed as a Bugler
|
|
Oct 26, 1939
|
Promoted to the rank of Acting Corporal
|
|
Dec 31, 1939
|
Granted leave with pay until January 3, 1940
|
|
Jan 7, 1940
|
Promoted to the rank of Corporal
|
|
Jan 13,1940
|
Admitted to an Ottawa hospital, sick
|
|
Jan 16, 1940
|
Discharged to duty from hospital
|
|
Apr 16, 1940
|
Granted leave with pay and allowances until April
29, 1940
|
|
Jul 14, 1940
|
Admitted to the Pembroke Cottage Hospital,
Pembroke, Ontario, and surgery performed to remove his appendix
|
|
Jul 22, 1940
|
Transferred to his own unit’s hospital care at
No. 5 CCS in Petawawa
|
|
Jul 30, 1940
|
Discharged from hospital care and granted sick
leave until August 5, 1940
|
|
Sep 7, 1940
|
Granted 14 days leave
|
|
Oct 15, 1940
|
Admitted to his own No. 5 Casualty Clearing
Station, sick
|
|
Oct 22, 1940
|
Discharged to duty from hospital
|
|
Dec 28, 1940
|
Granted 6 days leave
|
|
Jun 17, 1941
|
The No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station embarked in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
|
|
Jul 2, 1941
|
Disembarked in Gourock, Scotland
|
|
Jul 11, 1941
|
Granted landing leave until July 16, 1941
|
|
Aug 13, 1941
|
Admitted to the No. 5 CCS sick
|
|
Aug 17, 1941
|
Discharged to duty from hospital
|
|
Oct 7, 1941
|
Granted leave with a travel warrant until October
14, 1941
|
|
Jan 11, 1942
|
Granted 7 days leave
|
|
Mar 15, 1942
|
Reverted to the rank of Private at his own
request
|
|
Apr 15, 1942
|
Granted leave until April 22, 1942
|
|
Sep 2, 1942
|
Awarded the Good Conduct Badge
|
|
Sep 8, 1942
|
Granted leave until September 15, 1942
|
|
Sep 17, 1942
|
Admitted to the No. 5 CCS sick
|
|
Sep 22, 1942
|
Discharged to duty from hospital
|
|
Jan 5, 1943
|
Granted leave until January 12, 1943
|
|
Oct 10, 1943
|
Admitted to the No. 5 CCS sick
|
|
Oct 11, 1943
|
Discharged to duty from hospital
|
|
Oct 24, 1943
|
The Allies had invaded Sicily the previous July
and fought fierce battles to remove the Italians and Germans from the
island. The No. 5 CCS embarked in
England on October 24, 1943 to provide medical assistance for that effort
|
|
Nov 8, 1943
|
Disembarked in Sicily
In the spring of 1944 the No. 5 CCS moved into
the Liri Valley in Italy to treat and care for the wounded Allies of the
Italian Campaign
|
|
Jan 10, 1944
|
Awarded the CVSM (Canadian Volunteer Service
Medal) with Clasp
|
|
Apr 4, 1944
|
Admitted to the No. 5 CCS sick
|
|
Apr 24, 1944
|
Discharged to duty from hospital
|
|
Jun 23, 1944
|
Evacuated to England
|
|
Jul 5, 1944
|
Disembarked in England and posted to the ICRD
Repatriation Depot
|
|
Jul 7, 1944
|
Posted to the No. 1 CNETD (Canadian Non-Effective
Transit Depot)
|
|
Aug 13, 1944
|
TOS (Taken On Strength) #3 DD (District Depot) in
Ottawa, Ontario
|
|
Aug 21, 1944
|
Granted disembarkation Leave to September 19,
1944 with subsistence allowance
|
|
Oct 28, 1944
|
TOS HWE (Home War Establishment) in Ottawa
|
|
Nov 21, 1944
|
Admitted to the Military Hospital in Ottawa with
acute bronchitis
|
|
Dec 15, 1944
|
Discharged to duty from hospital and granted 4
days leave with ration allowance
|
|
Dec 31, 1944
|
Granted 5 days New Years leave
|
|
Jan 15, 1945
|
Granted 14 days privilege leave with ration allowance
|
|
Apr 21, 1945
|
Granted 48 hours leave
|
|
Jun 11, 1945
|
Granted 14 days privilege leave with ration
allowance
|
|
Aug 17, 1945
|
Transferred to the HE (Holding Establishment) in
#9 District Depot, Ottawa
Prior to his discharge, a summary of his service
is recorded as:
“In this war enlisted 8 Sept 1939. Fully trained in basic and advanced medical
corps training. Went overseas in June
1941. Qualified in Stretcher Bearer’s
Course, NCO’s course, First Aid and Sanitation. Served in field as Corporal. Served in Sicily & Italy (service in
theatre of war 11 months). Total
service overseas – 38 months.”
|
|
Aug 28, 1945
|
Discharged from active service in Ottawa, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge Private
Ø Proposed residence on
discharge Aylmer, Quebec
Ø Medal entitlement:
o
1939-45
Star
o
Italy
Star
o
Defence
Medal
o
CVSM
& Clasp
o
War
Medal 1939-45
|
|
Of the medals
shown, the Victory medal shown here for display purposed only, as his original medal is missing. If you know the location of his missing
medal, please contact the webmaster to possibly reunite all of his medals in
one place.
|
|
Sep 9, 1978
|
Victor Souliere died on this date and was buried
in the St. Paul Cemetery, Aylmer, Quebec beside his wife who had died 3 years
earlier
|
|
