Military service
Burial/memorial information
A member of the 1st Battalion, D Company, 16th Platoon, he served in Manitoba, Jamaica with Y Force, Hong Kong with C Force. He had 812 days of service, including 55 overseas.
To commemorate his sacrifice, the Manitoba government named Deslaurier Lake, located northeast of North Knife Lake, in his honor in 1974.
1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Defence Medal Hong Kong Bar.
Digital gallery of Private Léon Deslaurier
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Memorial
Private LEON DESLAURIER is one of 18 members of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps who are commemorated on this panel of the Sai Wan Memorial. He was one of 290 Canadian soldiers killed during the defense of Hong Kong, from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. -
Newspaper Clipping
Private LEON DESLAURIER was reported to be Missing in Action in the Canadian Army's 243rd overseas casualty list of the war published in the Globe and Mail on January 8, 1943. -
Dedicatory Inscription of the Sai Wan Memorial
Dedicatory inscription of the SAI WAN MEMORIAL. This memorial bears the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen, including 228 Canadians. -
Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong
Source: Veterans Affairs Canada. -
Canadian Casuatlies in the Defence of Hong Kong
Source: Veterans Affairs Canada. -
Unknown Marker
The Sai Wan Memorial is located at the entrance of Sai Wan Cemetery. 1,505 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War are buried or commemorated at this cemetery, of which 444 of the burials are the remains of unidentified soldiers, including those of 107 Canadian soldiers, most of whom were killed or died of wounds during the defense of Hong Kong, which took place from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. This is one such grave marker. There is a possibility that the remains of Private LEON DESLAURIER lie beneath this grave marker, or one of the other 106 grave markers in Sai Wan Cemetery that simply read, A SOLDIER OF THE 1939-1945 WAR. A CANADIAN REGIMENT. KNOWN UNTO GOD. The unidentified soldiers are commemorated at the Sai Wan Memorial. -
Photo of LEON DESLAURIER
In memory of those who served in Hong Kong during World War 11 and did not come home. Submitted with permission on behalf of the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association by Operation: Picture Me. -
Honour Roll
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Photo of LEON DESLAURIER
Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
Digital gallery of
Private Léon Deslaurier
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 28 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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