Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthFebruary 27, 1892
Place of BirthMontebello, Quebec
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinFather: Adelard Lacombe - Norman, Ontario
Trade / CallingGeneral Merchant
ReligionRoman Catholic
Service Details
Regimental Number2384160
Service Record Link to Service Record
BattalionCanadian Army Pay Corps
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Army Pay Corps
Enlisted / ConscriptedConscripted
Address at EnlistmentNorman, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentJune 24, 1918
Age at Enlistment26
Theatre of ServiceGreat Britain
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathNovember 26, 1958
Age at Death66
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
PlotRC E - 18 - 17

Lacombe, Lucien

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.

Lacombe-Lucien-98 Lacombe-Lucien-99 Lacombe-Lucien-3

Lucien’s grave marker was installed in Lake of the Woods Cemetery in 2018 by the Last Post Fund.


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