Jack Doucette
(Jean-Antoine Doucette)
Pte
Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada

In memory of my uncle Jack from whom I got the nick name Jackie. My uncle jointed the Canadian Army on Dec 1st 1941 in Woodstock; N.B. his regimental number was G19441 his first unit was the Carleton & York Regiment. He had lied about his age, telling them that he was born on April 1st 1922 instead of 1924 which actually made him less than 18 when he signed up. This was not discovered until his mother wrote King George VI telling him that Jack was under age, sometime in Dec 1942 at which time he was already in England.

One month after D Day, Jack embarked for France on the 6th of July 1944 and disembarked on the eighth, he belonged to the 2nd Infantry Division, 6th Infantry Brigade, Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. He was killed within a few weeks of arriving in France; I am not exactly sure on what date he was actually killed, most likely during “OPERATION GOODWOOD” or just after. On his military death certificate the date is shown as unknown, but buried on the 28th of July, on the “New Brunswick certificate of Registration of Death” and his “Service and Casualty Form”, it states the 21st of July 1944 as time of death. I’m a bit confused as to the delay in his burial if he was killed on the 21st and not buried until the 28th, this might mean he died later then the 21st. He was 20 years old, originally buried in a Fleury-sur-Orne (023649), in “walled garden next to the caves”. Jack was later moved to the Canadian war cemetery in Bretteville-Sur-Laize Calvados France. Grave Reference: XI. E. 2.

Like all the war heroes that died during the great wars his name is inscribed on page 293 of the Book of Remembrance. A grateful nation recognizes his sacrifice every year on June 23rd, when this page is displayed for public viewing in the Memorial Chamber of the Parliament of Canada.

Jack was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, the Defence Medal, War Medal, and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp.

If anyone has anf information on my Uncle Jack or what may have happened around the time of his death please contact me via email at jpdj_roy@sympatico.ca.