Military service
Burial/memorial information
Baptized Paul Côme Damien Jules Gagnon. Son of Félix Gagnon and Firmine (aka Feremine) Martin, of Mont-Joli, Matane, Québec.
Enlisted in the 5th District Military Depot, he stated that he served fifteen days in July 1937 and another fifteen days in July 1938 with the Fusiliers du St-Laurent – NPAM. On February 22, 1943, he was transferred to Company A of the Royal 22nd Regiment. On March 10, he sailed for Great Britain, arriving on the 18th. On June 15 of that year, he left for the Mediterranean with Force M to take part in the Allied landing in Sicily, Operation On July 10, he landed on the beaches of Pachino around noon with the second wave of the assault. He died of malaria at the Canadian General Hospital in Syracuse, Sicily. He was buried the same day before being exhumed around October 14, 1944, to be reburied in Agira. He had served 423 days, including 174 days overseas.
Digital gallery of Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
Digital gallery of
Private Jules Gagnon
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In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 161 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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AGIRA CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Italy
Agira Canadian War Cemetery lies in the Commune of Agira, Province of Enna, in the centre of Sicily. From the autostrada A19, Catania-Palermo, take the exit to Catenanuova. Follow signposts to Regalbuto, then pass Regalbuto, going in the direction of Agira. The Cemetery is then signposted about 12 kilometres from Regalbuto.
On 10 July 1943, following the successful conclusion of the north African campaign in mid May, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops invaded Sicily as a prelude to the assault on mainland Italy. The Italians, who would shortly make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn. The campaign in Sicily came to an end on 17 August when the two allied forces came together at Messina, but failed to cut off the retreating Axis lines. Agira was taken by the 1st Canadian Division of 28 July and the site for the war cemetery was chosen in September for the burial of all Canadians who had been killed in the Sicily campaign. Agira Canadian War Cemetery contains 491 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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