Sergeant Rene Desmarais

1. Sergeant, 25th Battalion, Infantry (Army).
2. Private (Army).
3. Private (Army). 1916-07-18 ?

Military Medal
Date of award: 1918-08-06

Military Medal First Bar
Date of award: 1918-10-07

Son of Eusebe and Josephine (Belanger) Desmarais, Rene Desmarais was born in Keewatin, Ontario on 7 May 1891. According to his father's obituary in the Kenora Miner and News of 6 August 1932, the family came to Keewatin with the first sawmill that was brought over the ice to Keewatin in the early pioneer days. Very much a Catholic French Canadian family, Rene's father had married Marie Josephine Belanger 18 January 1888 in Gatineau, Quebec and had moved to Keewatin South by the 1891 Canada census, his father's occupation given as sawmill foreman. Children listed in the household at that time were Floride, Fernande, Napoleon, Ezymel, Alonzo and Ida. Both Rene's father and mother had previous marriages, losing their spouses to death. By the 1901 Canada census although the family was still in Keewatin, Rene's father's occupation had changed to farmer. Children in the household in this census were Napoleon, Ezymel, Alonzo, Ida, Rene, Eva, and Annie. The family also had a couple of boarders living with them, Fernanzo Charon and Mary Nadon. In the 1911 Canada census, living in Keewatin were Rene's parents and Ida, Eva, Rene, Annie, and Rhea. Rene's occupation was given as teamster.

Rene enlisted 25 February 1916 in Kenora, Ontario, originally with the 94th Battalion. Occupation listed as carpenter, he had 3 months previous experience with the 100th Grenadiers. "On May 25, 1916, the men of "C" an "D" Companies from Kenora and Fort Frances were moved to the Lakehead and on June 9, 1916, the Battalion left for Valcartier, Quebec for "Summer Camp" as it was called. For two hundred and five of these men it was the last time they were to see their families and friends. The 94th trained at Valcartier for a period until June 13th when they sailed from Halifax for England on the RMS Olympic. Although the 94th remained a battalion on paper until July 27th, 1918, with an office at East Sandling, if actually ceased to exist on July 13th, 1916 when it was broken up and the men were transferred to the 17th and 32nd Reserve Battalions to be used as replacements for casualties in front line units."

Disembarking in Liverpool on 5 July 1916, Rene Desmarais was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion 8 days later. Embarking for France on 7 September 1916, he was taken on strength a day later with the 25th Battalion, joining the unit in the field 28 September 1916. In October, he was granted a 10 day leave in France, and upon rejoining the unit, he was appointed as Lance Corporal 11 November 1917. Another promotion came on 1 February 1918, Rene Desmarais was now a Corporal. Later in the month he was on course, rejoining the unit in the field 25 March 1918. Another promotion had occurred on 05 March, that of Sergeant. On 29 June 1918, Rene attended Guards Division as a Raid Instructor, rejoining the 25th on 5 July 1918.

Just over a month later, on 9 August 1918, Sergeant Rene Desmarais was reported as Killed in Action, shot by enemy machine gun bullet during an advance on Vrely. Rene is buried at the Vrely Communal Cemetery Extension in Somme, France. On reports dated 15 October 1918 and 14 November 1918, due to his bravery he not only earned the Military Medal (awarded 02 August 1918 in the field) but also a Bar: "It is awarded to Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and men for individual or associated acts of bravery on the recommendation of a Commander-in-Chief in the field. A silver, laurelled bar is awarded for a subsequent act or acts of bravery and devotion under fire. The front of the medal shows the reigning monarch, while the reverse side shows FOR/BRAVERY/IN THE/FIELD in four lines, encircled by a laurel wreath and topped by the Royal Cypher and Crown. Canadians have received 13, 654 Military Medals, plus 848 first bars and 38 second bars."

Rene's parents and some of his siblings remained in Keewatin, with his father passing away in August of 1932 in Keewatin and his mother soon after in December of the same year in Winnipeg.

Sergeant Rene Desmarais is commemorated on page 397 of the First World War Book of Remembrance in Ottawa, on the Keewatin Cenotaph located in Beatty Park in Keewatin, Ontario, on the Lake of the Woods Milling Company Roll of Honour Plaque, and on the Municipality of Keewatin For King and Country Plaque.

By Kenora Great War Project

Information about the 94th Battalion taken from www.94thcef.ca

Information about the Military Medal and Bar taken from www.canadiangreatwarproject.com

Rene (first) enlisted with the 94th Battalion out of Kenora - as stated in the attached news clipping of his obituary.