Obituary for Paul Delorme
It is with great sadness that the family of Paul Delorme announces his passing on March 24, 2022 in Vancouver, BC at the age of 101, in the year of the 80th Anniversary of the Raid on Dieppe.
Paul was born in St. Marthe, a small largely Métis farming community in southern Saskatchewan, on July 23, 1920. He left school early to work as a farmhand. His father died when he was three. His mother remarried. After his mother died in 1936, he ran away from home, working on farms and rode the rails doing odd jobs until he enlisted in 1940.
Paul was eventually assigned to the South Saskatchewan Regiment (SSR). He was sent for training to the UK in 1941, where he met and married Jessie Mack in 1942. With Jessie, a teacher, he had four children. His son was born in England during the war. Three daughters were born in Canada after the war. Jessie died in 1966.
On August 14, 1942, Paul's SSR stormed the beaches of the German-held French port of Dieppe. The Dieppe raid was a disaster. 5,000 of the Dieppe Raid troops were Canadian. The heroism of the SSR was astounding. During the battle, Paul was at one time on the South side of Pourville with Major Orme and Colonel Merritt, the "C" company commander, when a grenade was thrown between Paul and the Colonel. Paul was injured on his left side. C company was the only unit to achieve their target.
The wounds to his left leg, arm and shoulder left Paul with lifelong disabilities. As he later described it "nous étions comme les canards". Wounded, he was captured that afternoon, along with 2000 other Canadians. 1000 others died. Paul was briefly hospitalized in France, then transported by the Red Cross to a hospital in Gloster Haina, Germany. Ten months later he was removed from hospital and sent to a POW camp called Stalag IX-C. While a POW, he learned that he had a son. Paul tried to escape three times but each time was re-captured. When he was finally liberated in 1945, he was just 25 years old.
Paul was then redeployed with the Occupational Forces until 1946 when he returned to Canada. His wife Jesse and son Paul Jr. arrived 2 months later. He returned to Ste. Marthe, working on farms and later running a store. Jessie taught school. Three more children (all girls) were born. In 1951, Paul started his career with the CNR, stoking steam engines, rising to Relieving Road Master before retirement in 1979.
He maintained his connection with the military being active with Royal Canadian Legions and attending many reunions in Dieppe. At one of these reunions he met Joan Grant, a British woman who he married in 1973.
His memoir "A Metis Man goes to War", was published in French and English by Comever de Rameau in France in 2014. In 1995 Paul and Joan moved to the UK to be near her family. On Joan's passing in 2019 Paul returned to British Columbia to be near his family.
Paul always had a zest for life, a great sense of humour with an engaging chuckle. He loved music, was an excellent dancer and played golf into his 90s. He was always very interested in what everyone was doing and made friends everywhere he went. Paul is also predeceased by his parents Alex and Laura, children Paul and Janet and great grandchild Tore.
Paul is lovingly remembered by his daughters Teresa and Veronica. He will be sadly missed by his 6 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
Donations in Pauls' memory can be made to a Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund. The family held a private memorial.
The family thanks the Weinberg Residence for their support and compassion over the last two and a half years.
---
Published in the Vancouver Sun on April 16, 2022
Paul was born in St. Marthe, a small largely Métis farming community in southern Saskatchewan, on July 23, 1920. He left school early to work as a farmhand. His father died when he was three. His mother remarried. After his mother died in 1936, he ran away from home, working on farms and rode the rails doing odd jobs until he enlisted in 1940.
Paul was eventually assigned to the South Saskatchewan Regiment (SSR). He was sent for training to the UK in 1941, where he met and married Jessie Mack in 1942. With Jessie, a teacher, he had four children. His son was born in England during the war. Three daughters were born in Canada after the war. Jessie died in 1966.
On August 14, 1942, Paul's SSR stormed the beaches of the German-held French port of Dieppe. The Dieppe raid was a disaster. 5,000 of the Dieppe Raid troops were Canadian. The heroism of the SSR was astounding. During the battle, Paul was at one time on the South side of Pourville with Major Orme and Colonel Merritt, the "C" company commander, when a grenade was thrown between Paul and the Colonel. Paul was injured on his left side. C company was the only unit to achieve their target.
The wounds to his left leg, arm and shoulder left Paul with lifelong disabilities. As he later described it "nous étions comme les canards". Wounded, he was captured that afternoon, along with 2000 other Canadians. 1000 others died. Paul was briefly hospitalized in France, then transported by the Red Cross to a hospital in Gloster Haina, Germany. Ten months later he was removed from hospital and sent to a POW camp called Stalag IX-C. While a POW, he learned that he had a son. Paul tried to escape three times but each time was re-captured. When he was finally liberated in 1945, he was just 25 years old.
Paul was then redeployed with the Occupational Forces until 1946 when he returned to Canada. His wife Jesse and son Paul Jr. arrived 2 months later. He returned to Ste. Marthe, working on farms and later running a store. Jessie taught school. Three more children (all girls) were born. In 1951, Paul started his career with the CNR, stoking steam engines, rising to Relieving Road Master before retirement in 1979.
He maintained his connection with the military being active with Royal Canadian Legions and attending many reunions in Dieppe. At one of these reunions he met Joan Grant, a British woman who he married in 1973.
His memoir "A Metis Man goes to War", was published in French and English by Comever de Rameau in France in 2014. In 1995 Paul and Joan moved to the UK to be near her family. On Joan's passing in 2019 Paul returned to British Columbia to be near his family.
Paul always had a zest for life, a great sense of humour with an engaging chuckle. He loved music, was an excellent dancer and played golf into his 90s. He was always very interested in what everyone was doing and made friends everywhere he went. Paul is also predeceased by his parents Alex and Laura, children Paul and Janet and great grandchild Tore.
Paul is lovingly remembered by his daughters Teresa and Veronica. He will be sadly missed by his 6 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
Donations in Pauls' memory can be made to a Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund. The family held a private memorial.
The family thanks the Weinberg Residence for their support and compassion over the last two and a half years.
---
Published in the Vancouver Sun on April 16, 2022