Clarence David Lapierre was one of the first soldiers to land in France during the Second World War as a paratrooper with the 1st Canadian Battalion. However, many people are still unaware of the role that Canadian paratroopers played in the war’s largest landing assault.

The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, were a frank success thanks to the combined efforts of all contingents of the Canadian Army and its allies. The work of Canada’s infantry and naval forces entered our collective memory thanks to photos. However, the significant contributions of Canadian paratroopers were not captured to the same degree.

Yet, hundreds of Canadians volunteered for the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. For example, Clarence David Lapierre, or “Dude” as he was called by his fellow soldiers, was one of these young enlistees. Lapierre was born on November 9, 1923, in Owen Sound, Ontario, which is best known as the birthplace of the famous pilot Billy Bishop. During the First World War, Bishop shot down 72 enemy aircraft and even survived a dogfight with Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the “Red Baron.”

Read the rest of the article on Je Me Souviens

Article written by Julien Lehoux for Je Me Souviens.