Volume 6 - Legion BC/Yukon Command Website

British ColumBia / Yukon CommandDeschamps, Alfred George (Fred)Fred was born in Kimberley, BC in 1945. He joined the Navy on February16, 1966 at Tecumseh and after basic training at HMCS Cornwallis andCommunications training at CFB Esquimalt, he served on HMCS St. Croix,at CFS Aldergrove, on HMCS Qu’Appelle, and on HMCS Kootenay. Fredobtained his voluntary release from the Armed Forces on June 16, 1974 asMaster Corporal then joined the RCMP as a communications operator. Aftercompleting his training in Victoria, BC, he served in various locationsthroughout British Columbia until he was transferred to the CranbrookCommunications Centre as manager. He worked there until he retired in2001. Fred was a Legion member in Nelson and Prince George, BC and isnow a member of Legion Branch #24 in Cranbrook.Desireau, SidSid was born in Nelson, BC in 1922. He joined the 3 rd Field Battery Militiaat 16 and the Regular Force in June, 1941. He took his artillery training inSooke, BC and Brandon, MB then went overseas in December, 1941 wherehe trained in firefighting and helped put troops through gas training. In1942, he was posted to the 109 Battery of the 1 st Light Anti-AircraftRegiment stationed at Hastings, England then he was transferred to Sicily inOctober, 1943 and to Italy a few months later where he fought near Ortonaand in the Battle for Casino. In 1945, his unit went to France and Belgiumand when the War ended, Sid stayed with the occupation force bringingsupplies to the starving population until April 1946 when he returned toCanada, leaving the army in August. He served thirty-one years in theMilitia in Trail and was a member of the Trail Legion Branch #11 Trail forfifty-eight years until he died in 2004.Desormeaux, Alexander Sr. (Alex)Alex enlisted in the 77 th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forcewhen he was forty-four and transferred to the 38 th Battalion on August 11,1915. He served in Canada and Bermuda during World War One beforebeing given a medical discharge on February 15, 1918. His son, twograndsons, and great great grandson also served in the Armed Forces.www.legionbcyukon.ca97