This road is named in honour of Brigadier Paul Triquet, VC.
Paul Triquet was born in Cabano, Quebec on 2 April 1910. At the age of 17, he joined the Royal 22e Régiment. In December 1943, Captain Triquet was a company commander with the regiment’s battalion serving in Italy with the Canadian Army’s 1st Infantry Division.
On 13 December 1943, plans were made by the 1st Infantry Division to get around the western end of the German defences running inland from the Adriatic Sea just south of the small coastal city of Ortona. By “turning” the enemy line, the 1st Division hoped to open the way to Ortona, its objective, and to capture the city. The key to the success of the plan was an advance by the Royal 22e Régiment north-eastward along the road to Ortona to seize an important road junction.
At 10:30 on the morning of 14 December “C” and “D” Companies of the “Van Doos”, supported by tanks from “C” Squadron of The Ontario Regiment, began moving up both sides of the road. The force had already met and destroyed two German tanks. On the left, about half-way to the hamlet of Casa Berardi, Captain Triquet’s “C” Company began to encounter fierce resistance from enemy machine guns and infantry sheltered in wrecked buildings and in terrain favourable to the defenders, all backed up by tanks and self-propelled guns. On the right, “D” Company became lost and took no further part in the action that day. “C” Company and the Ontario tanks proceeded to fight their way through the opposition, knocking out three more tanks and eliminating the Germans’ defensive positions. At this stage, the company had been reduced to fifty men and one officer – Triquet. Although ammunition was running low, Triquet, his men and their supporting tanks persevered in the attack, capturing Casa Berardi late in the afternoon and driving on nearly to the crossroads. Here the survivors, now only fifteen strong with four tanks, were stopped by mortar fire, and retired to Casa Berardi to prepare for counterattacks. As darkness fell, “B” Company of the Royal 22e arrived to reinforce Triquet, and by the early hours of 15 December the battalion’s remaining two companies had reached Casa Berardi. The western flank of the German line had been turned. For his courageous and determined leadership resulting in the capture and retention of Casa Berardi, Captain Triquet received the Victoria Cross.
Triquet died in Quebec City, Quebec on 4 August 1980.
