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1919 - 1941 (22 years)
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Name |
Gérard Gilbert Desroches [1, 2, 3] |
Birth |
18 Nov 1919 |
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [2, 3] |
Gender |
Male |
Fact |
From 1939 to 1941 [3] |
Army |
Fact |
From 1939 to 1945 [3] |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. |
Fact |
1939 [3] |
P.35276 |
Fact |
From 1939 to 1945 [3] |
Pacific Star |
Fact |
From 1939 to 1945 [3] |
War Medal |
Religion |
1939 [3] |
Catholic |
Residence |
1939 |
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [4] |
Address: 647 St-Patrick Street |
Enlisted |
15 Sep 1939 |
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [3] |
Burial |
1941 |
Hong Kong [3] |
Address: SAI WAN MEMORIAL Column 26 |
- This SAI WAN MEMORIAL honours over 2,000 men of the land forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire who died in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War. The SAI WAN MEMORIAL is in the form of a shelter building 24 metres long and 5.5 metres wide. It stands at the entrance to Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery, outside Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong. From the semi-circular forecourt, two wide openings lead to the interior of the building. The names are inscribed on panels of Portland stone. The dedicatory inscription reads:
1939 - 1945 The officers and men whose memory is honoured here died in the defence of Hong Kong in December 1941 and in the ensuing years of captivity and have no known grave.
The northern side of the Memorial is open and four granite piers support the copper roof. From a commanding position 305 metres above sea level, it looks out over the War Cemetery where some 1,500 men lie buried, and across the water to Mainland China - a magnificent view of sea and mountains. The Cape Collinson area has many cemeteries. Walking up this narrow one-way traffic road, one will pass the Catholic Cemetery situated on the hillside to the left of the road, and the Hong Kong Military Cemetery on the right. Sai Wan War Cemetery is about half way up Cape Collinson Road and faces the Muslim and Buddhist cemeteries. One can also get a taxi from Chai Wan Terminus and follow the same route. Alternatively, one can board a public light bus, Route No.16M, which runs from Chai Wan MTR Terminus to Stanley. En route to Stanley the minibus will pass Sai Wan War Cemetery.
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Death |
19 Dec 1941 |
Hong Kong [3] |
Burial |
Aft 1941 |
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Address: 455 Chemin Montréal rd, |
Obittuary |
9 Jan 1943 |
The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [2] |
Fact |
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [2] |
Address: 647 St-Patrick Street |
Fact |
Corporal [3] |
Fact |
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps [2, 3] |
Person ID |
I127626 |
Lowertown |
Last Modified |
23 Mar 2023 |
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Notes |
- His full name is Joseph Gilbert Gérard Desroches.
Son of Israël Desroches and Théodora Sabourin of Ottawa, Ontario. Brother of Pierrette, Marcel, Germaine, Jeannette, Jacqueline and Françoise. Israël served in the First World War without having taken part in the combat, regimental number 2776922, with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps.
Served in Ontario, Québec, Hong Kong with C Force. Had 838 days of service, including 59 overseas.
Commemorated on of the Second World War Book of Remembrance . of this page. high resolution copy of this page.
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Sources |
- [S3790] .
- [S3794] (Reliability: 3).
- [S3438] .
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM) Gérard Gilbert Desroches
- [S3437] .
Canada, World War II Records and Service Files of War Dead, 1939-1947
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