Pte G Pelletier - Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal

[Alan Baker]

I am attaching what seems to be an uninteresting cover from November 1942 to a lady in Sussex. However, it contains a letter from the Records Office, Canadian Military HQ, Acton W3. This advises Mrs Smith, in answer to her enquiry, that D.61928 Pte Pelletier G was listed as a Prisoner of War

Pte Pelletier was a member of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, an infantry battalion from Quebec. Its members were French-speaking as was its CO. Initially they formed part of Force Z on Iceland, leaving there on 31st October 1940.

On 19th August 1942, the battalion was part of the Canadian force in Operation Jubilee - the Dieppe Raid. They suffered considerable casualties and 19 officers and 325 other ranks were taken prisoner. In view of the date of this correspondence, it is possible that Pte Pelletier was one of these.

He spent the rest of the war in Stalag VIII-B, Teschen, now in the Czech Republic. I have not as yet ascertained whether he survived the experience and returned home. Similarly, his relationship with Mrs Smith is unknown.

Lt Col RTE Hicks-Lyne served as a Lieutenant with the Central Onrario Regiment in the Great War

[Alan Baker]

Here is the letter