Private Harmel Legault
Survivor of WW1
Service Biography
Harmel Legault was born at Saint-Timothée, Quebec, on 8 May 1895. A single Roman Catholic farmer living at Valleyfield, he was drafted under the Military Service Act and entered service at Montreal on 1 May 1918. He served overseas in England and France as a Private, transferring through the 22nd Battalion and joining the 14th Canadian Battalion in France in October 1918. After influenza and a period of convalescence in England during the winter of 1918–1919, he was returned to Canada and discharged at Montreal on 22 May 1919 on demobilization.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
3158350
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
14th Battalion
Battalion:
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Saint-Timothée, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
22 years 11 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
24 years
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
Olivier Legault (father), Valleyfield, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Valleyfield, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
Height:
5 ft 4.0 in / 163 cm
Weight:
127 lbs / 58 kg
Chest:
34.0 in / 86 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Discharged at Montreal on 22 May 1919 on demobilization after return from overseas service. His file also contains medical-board proceedings for post-influenza debility/rheumatic complaints and myocardial hypertrophy, but the formal discharge reason is demobilization.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
386 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Images
Grave of Harmel Legault
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Private |
14th Battalion |
Army |
|
|
|
|
| Operational/final overseas unit; Private throughout. |
| WW1 |
Private |
22nd Battalion |
Army |
|
|
|
|
| Transferred through 22nd Battalion overseas. |
| WW1 |
Private |
2nd Quebec Regiment |
Army |
2nd Depot Battalion |
|
|
|
| Initial depot/reinforcement service. Use 1 May 1918 as enlistment/service start; 18 Apr appears only in secondary administrative records. |
Service Chronology
1895-05-08 — Born.
1918-04-18 — Administrative/attestation date appears in service index and pay records.
1918-05-01 — Entered service under the Military Service Act; medical examination Category A.
1918-06-05 — Arrived in England from Canada.
1918-09-14 — Transferred to / taken on strength of 22nd Battalion.
1918-09-18 — Arrived in France.
1918-10-04 — Transferred to the 14th Canadian Battalion and struck off strength of the 22nd Battalion.
1918-10-05 — Joined the 14th Battalion in the field.
1918-12-02 — Influenza illness began while serving in France.
1918-12-14 — Admitted with influenza.
1918-12-17 — Transferred/admitted with influenza.
1919-01-01 — Invalided to England because of debility following influenza.
1919-01-03 — Admitted for debility following influenza.
1919-01-24 — Transferred after 21 days at Reading War Hospital.
1919-03-20 — Medical Board recorded myocardial hypertrophy/weakness, restricted heavy labour, and recommended return to Canada.
1919-03-26 — Discharged/transferred from the King's Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital after 61 days.
1919-04-15 — Dental examination for demobilization.
1919-04-26 — Demobilization/return-to-Canada processing through Kimmel Park.
1919-05-11 — Embarked for Canada aboard S.S. Cassandra.
1919-05-22 — Discharged on demobilization.
Notes
Medical records document influenza beginning in France in December 1918. He was admitted to 5th Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on 14 December and transferred to 24th General Hospital, Étaples, on 17 December. He was invalided to England on 1 January 1919 and admitted to Reading War Hospital on 3 January for debility following influenza, remaining there until 24 January. He then transferred to the King's Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital at Bushy Park, where later medical-board records described rheumatic complaints and hypertrophy of the myocardium with weakness. The board restricted him from heavy labour and recommended return to Canada. His formal discharge remained demobilization.
Additional Service Notes
Drafted under the Military Service Act in 1918, Harmel Legault served overseas in England and France as a Private. He was transferred through the 22nd Battalion and joined the 14th Canadian Battalion in France in October 1918. He returned to Canada in May 1919 and was discharged on demobilization.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Father and next of kin: Olivier Legault, Valleyfield, Quebec. Assigned pay of $15 monthly was payable to him.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Research Notes
DOB reconciliation: use 8 May 1895 from the original recruit particulars and service index; later invalid-board forms give 7 Mar 1895 and are retained as a documented discrepancy. Enlistment reconciliation: use 1 May 1918, repeatedly supported by the recruit declaration, casualty form, discharge certificate and medical records; 18 Apr 1918 appears on administrative/pay records and is preserved as a secondary discrepancy. Medical sequence: influenza in France in December 1918; 5th Canadian CCS 14 Dec; 24th General Hospital, Étaples 17 Dec; invalided to England 1 Jan 1919; Reading War Hospital 3-24 Jan; King's Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital, Bushy Park 24 Jan-26 Mar; medical-board assessment in March; then demobilization processing and return to Canada.
