Name/Title
Guardsman Harmidas Gauthier - Historic member of 87th Battalion CGG as a Machine Gunner (One of just a handful of black French speaking soldiers to fight in a CEF Infantry Battalion)Description
Canadian WW1 Victory Medal and photo belong to Guardsman Harmidas Gauthier - One of three black soldiers (and only native francophone) to fight in the 87th Bn (Canadian Grenadier Guards) during World War 1.
Guardsman Gauthier's artifacts include from left to right:
*** Canadian WW1 Victory Medal correctly named to 684765 Pte H. Gauthier C.M.G.C.
*** 1916 Photo of Private Harmidas Gauthier with 171st Battalion CEF (Quebec Rifles)
*** 171st Battalion CEF (Quebec Rifles) Sweetheart Pin
Guardsman Harmidas Gauthier 684765 was born on 1st August 1885 in Saint Flore, Quebec. His parents were from Haiti and he was a French speaking first generation Canadian. He worked as a paper maker near Grandmere, Quebec. He attested with the 171st Bn CEF (Quebec Rifles) on 26th Aug 1916. and travelled to the UK aboard HMS Mauretania. On arrival, he was transferred to the 150th Battalion CEF and eventually absorbed by the 87th Bn CGG on 27th February 1918. He was a qualified Machine Gunner and served in that role with CGG until transferred to the 4th Bn C.M.G. Corps on 1st May 1918.
Gdsm Gautier is also one of the rare examples of a soldier that returned to Canada on the same troop ship (HMS Mauretania) that he originally started the war on. Gdsm Gauthier discharged on September 6th, 1919 and returned to Grandmere where he settled down and eventually passed on 14th February 1947.
In Canada the black population at the time numbered about 20,000, and over the course of the war, 1,200 or six per cent of the total population, served in the war. The number would have likely been far higher without racism and an effort to prevent Black soldiers from serving.Created By
Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.Create Date
February 7, 2022Updated By
Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.Update Date
February 7, 2022
