Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthMarch 3, 1885
Place of BirthPointe-des-Cascades, Quebec
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinOdile Daoust (Mrs. Orphir Legault), mother, Ile Perrot, Quebec
Trade / CallingFireman
ReligionRoman Catholic
Service Details
Regimental Number4070333
Service RecordLink to Service Record
Battalion1st Depot Battalion, Manitoba Regiment
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedConscripted
Place of EnlistmentWinnipeg, Manitoba
Address at EnlistmentMain Street, Kenora, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentDecember 12, 1917
Age at Enlistment32
Theatre of ServiceCanada
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details

Leroux, Fred

Private Fred (Aza) Leroux was the son of Louis Leroux and Odile Daoust/Deault of Saint Joseph parish, Soulanges County, Quebec. Fred was born on 3 May 1885 in Pointe-des-Cascades, Soulanges County. He was baptized two days later as Joseph Aza Herouine Leroux, the son of Louis Leroux, a farmer, and Odile Deault. In other parish registers and in census records Odile’s surname was usually spelled Daoust. Fred was listed as Aza in census records and he had at least seven brothers and sisters. His father died in 1890 when he was six and the youngest child was still an infant.

When the 1891 census was taken Odile was living in Soulanges parish with all eight children at home, aged from six months to 13 years. Her occupation was farmer. In 1908 she married Orphir Legault, a widower from Ile-Perot, a few miles north of Pointe-des-Cascades. Orphir’s wife, Louise Daoust, had died in 1905. When the 1911 census was taken Odile and Orphir were living in Ile-Perrot where they operated a hotel. Three of Orphir’s daughters were living with them: Charlotte, Marie-Anne and Hortense.

The war started in August 1914 and conscription was introduced in Canada three years later. Fred failed to register as required under the Military Service Act and he was called up as a defaulter on 12 December 1917. His address at the time was Main Street, Kenora, Ontario and he was called up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His occupation was fireman and next of kin was his mother Odile Legault in Ile-Perot, Quebec. Fred was assigned to the 1st Depot Battalion, Manitoba Regiment. In January 1918 he was transferred to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps and sent to Toronto, Ontario. He was absent without leave starting on 13 March and discharged as a deserter on 3 April.

At some point Fred, or Aza as he was usually known, returned to Quebec. His mother Odile and stepfather Orphir both died in September 1930, about two weeks apart. Aza was at his mother’s funeral on 11 September and signed the register as a witness, along with his brother Narger Leroux and other relatives.

Aza was married on 26 June 1937 in Val d’Or, Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. His wife, 34-year-old Marie Claire Angeline Lalonde, was the daughter of Ulric Lalonde and Florestine Robillard. Aza was living in Val d’Or at the time of his marriage and his occupation was hotel operator. So far, nothing further is known about Fred/Aza and his date of death and place of burial have not yet been found.

By Becky Johnson


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