Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | September 7, 1877 |
Place of Birth | Marieville, Quebec |
Country | Canada |
Marital Status | Single |
Next of Kin | Raoul Belisle, brother-in-law, St Armand, Quebec |
Trade / Calling | Tailor |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 504088 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | 10th Battalion, CE |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Engineers |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Address at Enlistment | Kenora, Ontario |
Date of Enlistment | March 6, 1916 |
Age at Enlistment | 38 |
Theatre of Service | Europe |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | March 14, 1942 |
Age at Death | 64 |
Buried At | Field of Honour Cemetery, Pointe Claire, Quebec |
Plot | K-34 |
Joseph Oscar Guillet was born on 7 September 1877 in Marieville, Rouville, Quebec. His parents Jacques Guillet and Celina Desroches had married on 8 February 1864 in Marieville, Jacques having previously been married to Marie Sophie Lussier who died in 1862. Jacques and Celina had five known children, all born in Marieville: Denise (1866), Felix (1868), Joseph Avila (1870), Celina (1874), and Oscar. Sadly Celina Sr died in 1888, interred in Marieville on 5 July. Over the years Jacques’ occupation was given as journalier, day labourer. By the time of the 1901 census the family members had scattered, with just Jacques and Celina Jr found living together in Marieville.
Oscar had been living in Kenora and working as a tailor when he signed his attestation paper in Winnipeg on 6 March 1916. He gave his sister Celina’s husband Raoul Belisle in St Armand, Quebec as next of kin. With the 14th Field Company, Canadian Engineers, Oscar embarked from Halifax aboard the Baltic on 16 May. Upon arrival in England he was taken on strength with the 4th Canadian Divisional Engineers and posted to the 10th Field Company and then on to the 12th.
Oscar arrived in France in mid August, serving at the Headquarters of the 4th Canadian Divisional Engineers until posted to the 12th Field Company in late May of 1917. These troops were responsible for construction of defences, sanitation systems, water supplies, bridging, and assisting with trench raids. In July of 1917 Oscar was granted a ten day leave and in March of 1918 he was awarded one Good Conduct Badge. That September he was transferred to the 10th Battalion, Canadian Engineers and granted a fourteen day leave later that month. With the end of the war Oscar returned to England in May of 1919 and embarked from Southampton for Canada aboard the Olympic on 6 June. Oscar was discharged from service on 17 June in Toronto.
Very little is known about Oscar’s life after the war. Upon discharge his intended place of residence was given as Winnipeg but by 1922 he was living in Montreal. Predeceased by his father Jacques in 1921 in St Sebastien, Quebec, Oscar died on 14 March 1942. Although a Veteran’s Death card was issued, no information about family or next of kin was available. Oscar is interred in the Field of Honour Cemetery in Pointe Claire, Quebec.
By Judy Stockham
Gravemarker photo: courtesy of Graceti on findagrave.com