Name/Title
1918/1946 - CGG Gallantry Medal group and Birks & Sons Canadian Memorial Bar of Lance Corporal Omer Joseph-Moise Lavoie - 87th Battalion (Canadian Grenadier Guards) CEF & WW2 RCCS Casualty and relative of CAF Lt.-Gen. Omer Lavoie, OMM, MSC, CD (ret.) 1983-2021Description
Part of the Lieutenant Michael A. Hayes-Rivet (MHR) Trust Collection
*** FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES ONLY - ARTIFACT NOT PART OF MUSEUM COLLECTION ***
LCpl (Late Sgt) Omer Joseph-Moise Lavoie, EM - 87th Bn CGG, RCCS - WW2 Casualty
A very scarce CGG 87th Battalion WWI gallantry and WW2 Casualty medal group belonging to Lance Corporal Omer Joseph-Moise Lavoie who was recognized for his performance of duty with gallantry and distinction at Dury during Pte JF Young's VC Action on 2-4 September 1918.
CONNECTION TO AFGHANISTAN:
LCpl Omer Joseph-Moise Lavoie, EM is the relative of CAF Lieutenant-General Omer Lavoie, CMM, MSC, CD who was a senior officer in the Canadian Army and the Canadian Armed Forces. He was the commander of the 4th Canadian Division until the summer of 2014. He was promoted to major general in January 2016, and appointed commander of 1st Canadian Division. He served as battle group commander of the 1 RCR Battle Group, Task Force 3-06, from July 2006 to February 2007 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In 2021, he retired from the Canadian Army.
ABOUT LANCE CORPORAL OMER LAVOIE, EM:
Born near Arnprior, Ontario (Braeside), Omer Lavoie had served in the Governor General’s Foot Guards for one year when he attested to the 77th Battalion, CEF in Ottawa in September, 1915. In England, he was transferred to the 87th Battalion and proceeded with the battalion to France in August, 1916. Lavoie was wounded (GSW left arm) in October 1918. He served with distinction and was one of a handful of CGG members attached to the Chief Signal Officer- British Forces to act as translators during the Paris peace Conference at the end of WW1. He returned to Canada and received his discharge in April, 1919.
At some point after the Great War, Lavoie relocated to Toronto. He continued to serve in the Canadian Militia (Queen’s York Rangers 1932-40 stated in his Second World War File), receiving the Efficiency Medal in 1930. In June, 1940 he attested to the Canadian Active Service force with the Irish Regiment of Canada (M.G.) receiving service number B-78523. In July, 1942 Lavoie transferred from the Irish Regiment to the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals as he was not permitted to proceed overseas due to his age. He served with Atlantic Command (Wireless Operator - Gaspe Radio Station) until August 1944. He received a medical discharge in October, 1945 and died of a coronary thrombosis in 1946. His death was attributed to his military service and was honoured with a Canadian Casualty Memorial Bar by Birks & Sons.
BIRKS MEMORIAL BAR: The Memorial Bar was made up and issued in 1949/1950 to assist relatives of the deceased identify the medal groups they had recieved. Unlike WW1, Canadian WW2 medals were not named. In the late 40's the service medals were sent to families and next of kin of soldiers killed or died in service. Often the next of kin had no idea what the medals were for, and at the instigation of some veterans' groups the government decided to send an engraved silver bar to attach to the ribbons of the service medals of the deceased so that they could be identified as belonging to that service man/woman.Created By
Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.Create Date
January 20, 2025Updated By
Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.Update Date
May 30, 2025
