Private William Napoléon Lemoyne Gervais

Son of Gilbert Gervais (deceased in 1922) and Henriette Bertrand, of La Passe, Renfrew, Ontario. He stated being born in 1885 when he enlisted but this was in fact his baptism year.

He was baptized “William-Napoléon” and named “Napoléon” until after the 1901 census. Then, the first name “Lemoyne” was used in the 1911 census. The priest who baptized him was named “Napoléon Le Moyne” and died in 1910.

This coincidence might explain why his first name changed to “Lemoyne” ; resulting from an old tradition in some families, which aims to perpetuate the memory of a father, a godfather or a loved one, by adopting their first or last name upon their death.

Enlisted in the 41st Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he sailed for Great Britain on October 15, 1915, and landed in Plymouth, England, on the 28th. On August 24, he was assigned to the 57th Battalion, on April 20, 1916, to the 23rd Reserve Battalion, and on June 6, to the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles. On the 7th, he landed in France and on June 23, he was transferred to the 22nd Battalion. He joined his new unit at the front on the 24th.

Lemoyne was severely wounded on 15 September 1916 at Courcelette and he died of wounds the following day at No. 15 Main Dressing Station located near Albert.