Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthJune 15, 1861
Place of BirthLaterriere, Chicoutimi, Quebec
CountryCanada
Marital StatusMarried
Next of Kinwife, Florida Degagne of 34 Valade St., St. Boniface, Manitoba
Trade / CallingMillwright
ReligionRoman Catholic
Service Details
Regimental Number1012974 / 288374
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion230th Forestry Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchSoldier Biographies
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at Enlistment34 Valade St., St. Boniface, Manitoba
Date of EnlistmentDecember 6, 1916
Age at Enlistment55
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathDecember 17, 1945
Age at Death84
Buried AtSt. Boniface Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba
PlotSec. 7, Blk. 5, No. 32 north

Degagne, Pierre George (Germaine)

Pierre George (Germaine) Degagne was born on 15 June 1861 in Laterriere, Chicoutimi, Quebec. His parents were George Degagne and Marie Illide Dubois. Siblings included Georgina, Naemie, Laura, Charles, George, Maria, Clovis and Ida. By 1881 the family was living in Trois Rivieres, Quebec.

Pierre moved west and settled in Rat Portage (later known as Kenora), Ontario. On 14 September 1892 he married Florida Josephine Charron. He was working as a carpenter at that time. They had nine children but four of them(Maria, Albert, Ida and Clovis) died young. George, Emile, Joseph, Leo and Flora grew to adulthood. The 1911 census shows the family living on Bay Street in Keewatin and Pierre working as a boat builder. He apparently operated a business in Keewatin for 15 years.

By 1916 the family had moved to St. Boniface, Manitoba. Pierre and his four sons all signed up for service in WW1. Pierre first enlisted with the 221st Battalion of the CEF on 12 April 1916 in Winnipeg. He used the name Pierre George on his attestation papers and claimed to be born in 1872. He listed previous military service with the 81st Battalion – Nicollette District Volunteers. During training at Camp Hughes his true age (56) was discovered and he was discharged on 19 October 1916 as unfit for military service because he was over age.

Pierre enlisted a second time on 06 December 1916. This time he used the name Peter Degagne and claimed to be born in 1869. He was accepted and placed with the 230th Forestry Battalion. His son, George, signed up four days later and his son, Pierre, five days later all with the same battalion. They sailed to England aboard the S.S. Scandinavian arriving on 6 February 1917. Pierre was placed with the 32nd Company of the Forestry Battalion and sent to France on 27 April 1917. Sons, George and Pierre were transferred to the Canadian Army Service Corps, Motor Transport division. In June of 1917 Pierre Sr. was injured while lifting a heavy timber. He got a hernia and performed light work for three months. However, his condition worsened and he was sent to #11 Stationary Hospital in Marseilles. He was deemed too old for an operation to repair the hernia so he was fitted with a truss and invalided to England. He stayed in hospitals in Bath, Bearwood and Liverpool until 11 March 1918 when he was sent back to Canada. Pierre was discharged on 12 June 1918 as medically unfit for further military service.

Pierre returned to Winnipeg and lived there until his death on 17 December 1945. He is buried in St. Boniface Cemetery. He was predeceased by his wife in 1942.

Degagne-Pierre-George-Germaine-2 Degagne-Pierre-George-Germaine-3

Gravemarker photo: Albert Riezebos, Canada Gen Web Cemetery Project
Veteran Death card: Library and Archives Canada
Obituary: Winnipeg Tribune


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