Soldat George Girouard 15 August 2019 CEFRG

Soldat George Girouard in the Great War

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Wounded during the Second Battle of Ypres, serving with the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion. Discharged as medically unfit and returned to Canada. Re-enlisted with the 22nd Battalion in 1916. Severely wounded a second time during the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and eventually returned to his unit, only to be wounded a third time, and fourth time. Twelve days later, Soldat George Girouard 6797/847908 mortally wounded on 8 June 1918 near Arras, France.

Soldat George Girouard 6797
Soldat George Girouard

First Service

George Girouard a labourer born in Spencer Worcester County, Mass., on 14 February 1884. Father Jean-Baptiste Girouard of 65 Dyer Street, Brockton, Mass. Mother Mrs. Amanda Langevin. George was Roman Catholic.

Initially, Private George Girouard enlisted at North Bay on 18 August 1914. First attestation on 22 September 1914 at Montreal, with the 1st Battalion, Lt.-Col. Frederick William Hill signing. George stood 5’7″ tall, with dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair.

The 1st Battalion sailed from Quebec on 25 September, aboard SS LAURENTIC, arriving Liverpool 14 October 1914.

SS LAURENTIC sank after striking two mines north of Ireland on 25 January 1917, with the loss of 354 lives.
SS LAURENTIC sank after striking two mines north of Ireland on 25 January 1917, with the loss of 354 lives.

Private George Girouard arrived in France on 11 February 1915.

Second Battle of Ypres

On duty during the Second Battle of Ypres, 23 April 1915. The 1st Battalion crosses the Yser Canal and attacks the village of Pilkem at 9 am. Remained entrenched in the village until withdrawing and marching via Wieltje to Fortune and dug in on the night of 24 April. Finally on 25 April, the 1st Battalion returns to their original position west of the Yser Canal.

MIKAN No. 3522450
Officers, N.C.O.s and Men, 1st Canadian Division Pontoon Bridging and Transport Unit, Kalk, 1 January 1919. MIKAN No. 3522450

While covering the 3rd and 5th pontoon bridges, Private George Girouard suffers a GSW to the right groin, hip, and fractured collar bone, 27 April 1915. Than an immediate operation at Wellingborough, fragment of shell removed from leg. Finally, transferred to 9th Reserve Battalion in hospital in England on 28 April 1915.

The only blemish in Private George Girouard’s service when awarded 5 days F.P. No. 2, Shorncliffe, 16 September 1915. Following his wounding, discharged as medically unfit 16 November 1915 at West Sandling. Finally, George Girouard returned to Canada.

Second Service

Soldat George Girouard re-enlisted with 150th Battalion, Montreal, 28 July 1916. Medical examination at Valcartier on 19 September 1916. Sailed again from Halifax aboard SS LAPLAND, 23 September 1916.

S.S. LAPLAND John James Todd
S.S. LAPLAND

Soldat George Girouard admitted Moore Barracks Hospital, contusion and sprain of leg, 25 September 1916. Then, transferred to 22nd Battalion, 28 November 1916. At last, T.o.S. in the field, 29 November 1916.

Battle of Vimy Ridge

In the final days of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, George suffers a GSW right shoulder and back, severe, 14 April 1917, earning his second wound stripe. George’s ability to recover from injury nothing short of impressive, as in three months, he will be wounded again, meriting his third wound stripe.

Shrapnel wounds, right thigh, admitted to Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Monks Horton, 9 July 1917.

On the night of 27 May 1918, Soldat George Girouard wounded in the field along with 20 other ranks, earning his fourth wound stripe. His unit raiding a machine-gun post near Boileux St Marc. Soldat Girouard soon returns to duty, in time to share the same fate as Caporal Joseph Kaeble VC MM, also of the 22nd Battalion.

On the night of 8 June 1918, at 9.45 pm. intense barrage of all calibres including T.Ms. opened on entire front line also on support lines and along BEARAIS-NEUVILLE VITASSE road from central to South East and North West as far as BEARAINS and down MERCATEL-BEAURAINS road. Front line barrage, after five minutes and joined barrage on supports Intense enemy barrage lasted 30 minutes and gradually slackened to normal. As soon as the barrage lifted from front line at 9.50 pm, 3 hun parties each numbering approximately 50, rushed forward following their barrage very closely and attempted to enter our lines at three locations.

Caporal Joseph Kaeble VC MM

The action continues in the story of Caporal Joseph Kaeble VC MM in the Great War.

With the 22nd Battalion, Soldat George Girouard KIA, 8 June 1918. He was instantly killed by pieces of an enemy bomb, during a raid made by the enemy on our trenches in the vicinity of Neuville-Vitasse, on the night of June 8th 1918. The following day, buried in Plot II, Row H, Grave 10, in Wailly Orchard Cemetery.

Soldat George Girouard 15 August 2019 CEFRG
Soldat George Girouard, 15 August 2019, CEFRG

Soldat George Girouard at Wailly Orchard Cemetery

The village of Wailly is in the Department of Pas-de-Calais about 6 kilometres south-west from Arras in the valley of the little river Crinchon. Wailly Orchard Cemetery stands above the village on its outskirts in part of the old orchard.

15 August 2019, CEFRG

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