They made the Ultimate Sacrifice

 

Joseph Frederic Andre Blais

 

Leading Seaman Anti-Aircraft Rate 3rd Class, V4777, RCNVR

 

Born: 12 Jun 1924, Montreal, Quebec

 

Died: 25 Oct 1944 at sea

 

Book of Remembrance

 

BLAIS, Joseph Frederic Andre, LS, V4777, RCNVR, MPK - 25 Oct 1944, HMCS SKEENA - Son of Aime and Stella Blais, of Montreal, QC.

 

Leading Seaman Andre J. F. Blais, age 20, R.C.N.V.R., son of Mr. and Mrs. Aime Blais, 4062 Lafontaine, Montréal, Québec, was reported to have lost his life at sea during operations by a well-known Canadian warship. He had served on the same ship for 25 months, having joined the naval service in 1942. Leading Seaman Blais attended Oiler School, and was on the office staff of the Gurney Foundry when he enlisted. Besides his parents, he is survived by two brothers LS Marcel Blais, R.C.N.V.R. with four years' service and LAC Gilles Blais, three years in the R.C.A.F. A memorial service will be held in St. Jean Baptiste Church, at 9 a.m.

 

LS Blais died when HMCS SKEENA was wrecked during a storm at Videy, Iceland. His body was not recovered.

 

LS Blais' brother Marcel Blais served in the RCNVR and his brother Gilles Blais served in the RCAF during the Second World War.

 

Ships served in:

HMCS CARTIER - Enlisted 09 Mar 1942 as a VS, RCNVR.  Commenced Active Service 23 Mar 1942

HMCS ST HYACINTHE - Drafted to ST HYACINTHE 30 Jul 1942 as an OSVS for training.

* Transferred to Seaman Branch 07 Oct 1942

HMCS CORNWALLIS - Drafted to CORNWALLIS 14 Oct 1942 for training as an OS, RCNVR

* Rated AA III 03 Nov 1943

HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 14 Dec 1942 as an OS AA III, RCNVR

HMCS SKEENA - Drafted to SKEENA 21 Jan 1943 as an OS AA III, RCNVR. Rated A/AB 23 Mar 1943. Rated A/LS 15 Apr 1944

 

AB01

AB02

AB03

AB04

AB05

(AB01-AB03) Certificate of Service - pages 1 -3

(AB04-AB05) Letters to LS Blais' mother

 

(AB06) Article on the death of LS Andre Blais, RCNVR

 


 

Second World War Casualty Index

 

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