World War I

Plamondon and surrounding district experienced both World Wars.  In the Plamondon History Book there is a reference of 19 young men in the armed forces from our area who fought in the First World War.  None are named.

Reading individual stories, we discovered that Prosper Limoges, from Plamondon, enlisted and spent 2 years at the front until he was badly affected by tear gas.  He eventually came back to Plamondon.

From “Dellamen’s Letters” dated November 25, 1914, it is mentioned that a letter was received from Leon Quatre, who was in a hospital at Vannes, Britain wounded. Leon Quatre was wounded the 9^th day he had been fighting.

Francois Ulliac and his brother Jean-Marie Ulliac were both drafted in June,1917.  They spent their time in Calgary in training and other military duties. In August 1918 both Jean-Marie and Francois came home on special permits to help with the harvest. Once the month was over Jean-Marie applied for an extension of one month to complete the harvest. When he asked for a second extension, he was refused, so he had to report back to Calgary.  Francois did not have to return.  Shortly after Jean-Marie reported back the war ended in November 1918. He was retained to help construct a hospital in Calgary and help look after the returning soldiers amid the flu epidemic. Jean-Marie was hospitalized for three weeks with a mild case of the fever.  He remained in the Army until August 1919.

George Spencer from Lac La Biche area, served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force fighting with the 49^th Battalion in France from 1915 to 1918.  The 49^th Battalion fought in the battle for Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele.  He was wounded but survived and sent home in 1919.

His brother Charles Spencer was in the lst Depot Battalion but passed away due to the influenza of 1918.

Another man from Lac La Biche, Frank Smith, was listed in the Archives at the Lac La Biche Legion. No other information was available regarding this soldier.