Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | February 27, 1892 |
Place of Birth | Montebello, Quebec |
Country | Canada |
Marital Status | Single |
Next of Kin | Father: Adelard Lacombe - Norman, Ontario |
Trade / Calling | General Merchant |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 2384160 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | Canadian Army Pay Corps |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Army Pay Corps |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Conscripted |
Address at Enlistment | Norman, Ontario |
Date of Enlistment | June 24, 1918 |
Age at Enlistment | 26 |
Theatre of Service | Great Britain |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | November 26, 1958 |
Age at Death | 66 |
Buried At | Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario |
Plot | RC E - 18 - 17 |
Lucien (known as Luke) was the 1st born child of Adelard A. Lacombe and Leonie Thomas. Born in Montebello, Quebec, when he was still an infant the family moved to Norman, Ontario. His siblings were all born in Norman and Kenora, Ontario. The children were, oldest to youngest: Lucien/Luke, Emile, Arcidas/Phil, Marguerite, Antonio, Emilia, Lucian, Yvonne, Loraine, Oscar and Paul. The Lacombe family had a large extended family with many cousins to grow up with living in the Kenora area, mainly French speaking (although English was learned at school) and Roman Catholic.
Receiving his education locally, Lucien went on to take business courses at the Kenora Business College. He became a bookkeeper for Syder’s Grocery in Norman and Brett’s Warehouse.
Lucien was declared fit for duty after his Military medical exam on November 30, 1917 in Kenora. He signed his attestation papers in Port Arthur and was placed with the 1st Depot Battalion of the Manitoba regiment on June 24, 1918. Once overseas, Lucien joined the 18th Reserve Battalion and then was posted as Pay Staff for the Canadian Army Pay Corps in Britain. He was officially discharged in Halifax on 27 Jul 1919.
Later after the war, Lucien was employed by the Ontario Department of Highways as a weighman. Luke was a member of the Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church in Kenora. In November of 1956 Luke became an active member of the Canadian Legion in Kenora.
After retiring from the Ontario Department of Highways, he became a travelling salesman selling suits. His Mother, Leonie, used the suit fabric samples to make quilts. He remained a bachelor, as did his brother Oscar, making their home with their parents on Rabbit Lake Road in Jaffray and Melick Municipality, which is now the City of Kenora.
On November 26, 1958 Lucien Lacombe, a pioneer of our district, died in Kenora and is buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Lake of the Woods Cemetery.
By Linda Pelletier
Photos courtesy of Carole Miller and Lacombe family.
Lucien’s grave marker was installed in Lake of the Woods Cemetery in 2018 by the Last Post Fund.