Military service
Burial/memorial information
Baptized Joseph Basile Nicolas Laurent Charlebois. Son of Alphonse Charlebois and Honorine Campeau from Hull (Gatineau today) Québec.
Under the National Resources Mobilization Act of 1940, he enlisted on 19 September 1940, with the Hull Regiment - NPAM - in Hull, Quebec, regimental number C-422303. As a student, on 26 August 1941, he joined the military contingent of the University of Ottawa, Ontario - NPAM - regimental number C-481790, and took the officers' course in St-Jérôme, Quebec. On 10 February 1942, at the County Emergency Operations Centre, he was assigned regimental number C-33625, while attached to the Hull Regiment - NPAM. Promoted to lieutenant on 13 June 1942, he embarked for Great Britain, arriving on 7 October 1942. On 2 March 1943, he was temporarily transferred to the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada before moving to the Royal 22nd Regiment on 13 September 1943. Sent to Italy, he landed on the 24th. He was wounded in action on 14 December 1943 during clashes at Casa Berardi. He returned to service on 20 January 1944. He war killed in action on 22 mars 1944 near of Villa Grande.
‘The next day [22 March 1944] at around 3.30 am, a combat patrol led by Lieutenant Charlebois narrowly escaped the defenders of an enemy position. Tracer bullets revealed their position and a machine gun duel ensued. The enemy tried to surround the patrol, and Charlebois ordered his men to withdraw while he, wounded, protected their retreat. He did not return with his men. As soon as his disappearance was noticed, Captain Cannon and Lieutenant Roy went in search of him, but were unable to find him'. L'Histoire du Royal 22e Régiment, page 239.
Digital gallery of Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
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Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
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Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
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Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
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Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant Joseph Laurent Charlebois
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In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 271 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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MORO RIVER CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Italy
By the winter of 1943, the German armies in Italy were defending a line stretching from the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Naples, to the Adriatic Sea south of Ortona. The Allies prepared to break through this line to capture Rome. For its part, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division was to cross the Moro River and take Ortona. In January 1944 the Canadian Corps selected this site, intending that it would contain the graves of those who died during the Ortona battle and in the fighting in the weeks before and after it. Today, there are 1,615 graves in the cemetery, of which over 50 are unidentified and 1,375 are Canadian.
The Moro River Canadian War Cemetery lies in the locality of San Donato in the Commune of Ortona, Province of Chieti, and is sited on high ground near the sea just east of the main Adriatic coast road (SS16). The cemetery can be reached from Rome on the autostrada A25 (Rome-Pescara) by branching on the autostrada A14 and leaving it at Ortona. The approach road to the cemetery from the main road passes under an arch forming part of the little church of San Donato. The cemetery is permanently open and may be visited anytime.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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