Corporal Jean P. Desabrais

Cpl. Desabrais was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. He enlisted in the Infantry in October 1941 and transferred to the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) in 1942.

He was promoted to Corporal that same year. Desabrais requested a transfer to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion in 1943 and completed his Parachute Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S.A. on February 13, 1943. He parachuted into France during Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944 and also served in Belgium and Germany.

Pte Desabrais smartly dressed.

This photograph of Pte Desabrais has been developed with the negative reversed due his parachute wings being on the wrong side on his uniform.

Pte Desabrais demonstrating his prone shooting position with bayonet fixed.

Pte Desabrais sent a Christmas card home to his mother.

Pte Desabrais was an early graduate of the Parachute School in Fort Benning Georgia.

Pte Desabrais kept a piece of his parachute as a keepsake from Operation Overlord.