Citation(s);
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Burial/memorial information
Second eldest of a family of 11 children. Baptized Joseph Hermel Lorenzo Girard. Son of Adjutor Girard and Juliette St-Gelais of Kénogami, Québec. Brother of Joseph, Esther, Thérèse, Gilles, Marguerite, Jean-Claude and Rose-Marie
Enlisted in the Canadian Army Special Force, he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal 22nd Regiment on November 15, 1952. On November 28, he transferred to the 3rd Battalion and left for Japan on March 26, 1953. He arrived in Pusan, South Korea, on April 16. He went missing during a patrol on May 20, 1953. On an unspecified date, two bodies of allied soldiers were handed over to United Nations authorities by the Republic of North Korea. After examining the identification tags, it was discovered that they were Private Florian Wilfrid Aurey Cusson, serial number SD-17304, from Abercorn, Brome, and Private Hermel Girard. Their bodies were found in the brush near the deserted town of Sunghak Tong, located in the demilitarized zone.
His name was inscribed on the cenotaph of the Korean War Memorial in Meadowvale Cemetery, Brampton, Peel, Ontario, erected in 1997 to commemorate the 516 Canadians killed in action between 25 June 1950 and 27 July 1953, as well as on the Korean War Memorial in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. An identical monument can be found at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Pusan (South Korea).
Commemorated on the Wall of Remembrance.
Digital gallery of Private Hermel Girard
Digital gallery of
Private Hermel Girard
Digital gallery of
Private Hermel Girard
Image gallery
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 27 of the Korean War Book of Remembrance.
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UNITED NATIONS CEMETERY (BUSAN) South Korea
The United Nations Cemetery is located in Tanggok, a suburb of Busan. The land for the cemetery was granted to the United Nations by the Republic of Korea as a tribute to all those who had laid down their lives in combatting aggression and in upholding peace and freedom. There are 2,267 servicemen buried in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. Of these 1,538 were Commonwealth soldiers, including 376 Canadians.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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