Image: Home of Maxim Gervais, Falher, Alberta. June 16, 1931. Used in 1937 Not By Bread Alone lecture as B. 22. SPRA 362.02.13.062
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this new blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.
Alphonse Deslauriers, son of Ernest and Monique (Lapointe), was born in St. Laurent, Quebec, on January 23, 1917. In April 1928 he and his family moved to Girouxville AB. Whereas he had started school in St. Laurent, he continued his education in Falher AB, staying in the convent. In 1930 he attended Girouxville School. When Alphonse was older, he worked for farmers, clearing many quarters of land by ax with his father and brothers. Joining the Army in 1942, Alphonse took basic training in Canada, and then served in England, France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany. In 1946 he was involved in a convoy, delivering trucks to Czechoslovakia. He also traveled through Nuremberg, the site of the Nazi rally. After his discharge in 1946, he returned to the Girouxville area to homestead the land SW 5-78-22-W5. Through the Veteran’s Land Act he obtained the land SW 5-78-21-W5. Alphonse married Marie-Louise Remillard, a nurse from Falher, on October 14, 1947. While he farmed in the warmer seasons, Alphonse worked in lumber camps in the winters. In 1952 the Deslauriers moved to the village of Girouxville where he worked at the Co-op for nine years. From 1962 to 1981 he was postmaster until he retired. Alphonse and Marie-Louise had 2 sons: Raymond and George.
Source: Reflexions Vol. II, pp. 479-481 (photo p. 480)