Military service
Burial/memorial information
Baptized Léo Napoléon Lafrance, son of Napoléon Lafrance and Donalda Brouillet. When he enlisted, he stated that he was born on February 21, 1896.
He enlisted in the 69th Reserve Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and sailed for Great Britain on April 17, 1916, arriving in Liverpool, England, on April 27. Transferred to the 22nd Battalion on June 18, 1916, he departed from Folkestone on June 29 and landed in Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France, the same day. On July 2, he joined his new unit, then fighting at Zillebeke, Belgium.
On September 5, he sustained a superficial gunshot wound to the abdomen during the Battle of Courcelette in the Somme, France. On October 11, he was evacuated to England. On January 29, 1917, he was temporarily assigned to the 10th Reserve Battalion, but he returned to the 22nd Battalion on May 17. The following day, he returned to France and went to the front lines on June 6.
On August 15, 1917, he was again wounded, suffering a gunshot wound to his right thigh during the fighting at Lens and Hill 70 in the attack to capture the Catapulte Trench. After receiving treatment, he rejoined his battalion on November 11 and returned to the front on November 17.
On October 14, 1918, he was seriously wounded in the left leg by shrapnel during the Battle of Cambrai in Pas-de-Calais, as a result of heavy German artillery fire. He was transported to the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station at Boisleux-au-Mont, where he died on October 17 following the amputation of his leg. He was buried in the British military cemetery at Bucquoy, Pas-de-Calais.
Digital gallery of Private Léo Lafrance
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Newspaper clipping
La Presse November 2nd 1918. -
Circumstances of death registers
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Grave marker
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Document
References concerning the granting of his Military Medal. -
Newspaper clipping
From the Montreal Star c.1917. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Private Léo Lafrance
Digital gallery of
Private Léo Lafrance
Digital gallery of
Private Léo Lafrance
Digital gallery of
Private Léo Lafrance
Digital gallery of
Private Léo Lafrance
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 444 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
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