Jean Berthiaume

The city of St-Hyacinthe consecrated one of its streets’ name in his memory in 2006.

In 2003 after his last short battle with a secretly kept illness, Colonel (Ret.) Jean André Berthiaume was laid to rest in St-Hyacinthe, with full military honours. His wife Denise died in 2010.

He was particularly close to the Army Corps de Cadets No. 1 from his hometown. In the mid-1990s, he donated several musical instruments to found a band created for children to play in. Organizers agreed to call it “La musique J. A. Berthiaume.”

Back in Canada, he went to serve as adjutant general at the Quebec Command HQ. Promoted to the rank of colonel, he commanded the Quebec Western District until his retirement in 1969. During those years, he commanded the Royal Army Cadet Camp of Farnham that closed in 1967.

Upon leaving the service in 1969, Colonel (Ret.) Berthiaume went to work for the Wabasso company in Trois-Rivières, Quebec as Director of Operations Services until his retirement in 1980. During those years, he became involved with the Canadian Manufacturers Association as president of the St. Maurice chapter.

In 1969 he was nominated in the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem as Officier. In 1977, he was promoted to Knight of the Order.

During the final years of his active career, Colonel Berthiaume commanded the Royal Army Cadet Camp of Farnham that closed in 1967.

Colonel J. A. Berthiaume was invested into the Order of the British Empire in 1962 for his impressive organizational skills, initiative, linguistic ability, unmatched negotiating skills and his bravery during the ONUC mission in Congo. He was the first Canadian officer to be given that recognition since the Second World War.

Leaving Quebec in early summer of 1960, LCol Berthiaume was flown to work with the UNTSO in Palestine. Soon after, in July 1960, he headed to Congo as a United Nations chief of staff of the ONUC contingent.

Back in Canada, Lcol Berthiaume in 1957, took command of the 1st battalion Royal 22 Régiment until 1960. He was a true gentleman in sharing the warm French-Canadian culture as host of many social functions at the Citadelle.

Major Berthiaume left St-Jean for Valcartier in 1953 and went to the 2nd Battalion Royal 22 Régiment as deputy commander. He packed the battalion and headed for Germany as Canada’s NATO infantry contribution. After setting up over with the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade, he still was very involved within the military community like in the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Normandy where he commanded the Canadian group during the weekend long celebrations. In July 1954, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and was chosen as the Canadian representative at the SHAPE in Paris for a year.

An uncommon event occurred a few days after Christmas in 1952. A child of one of the CMR’s staff fell into the icy waters of the Richelieu river. Upon hearing the child’s cry for help, the CMR commandant, colonel Lahaie went onto the ice to rescue the boy, assisted by Captain Gosselin and Major Berthiaume. Others came along as the alarm was sounded. They were all pulled to safety; the child was saved.

After three years in Ottawa, then major Berthiaume went to the Canadian Army Training School in St-Jean, Quebec, in 1949. He managed the Canadian Army Training School in St-Jean before it was transferred to Valcartier in 1952.

On April 26, 1946, then captain Berthiaume was posted to NDHQ as GSO 2 and the next day was promoted to the rank of Temporary major (T/maj). On November 22, 1947, he was promoted to the rank of major.

As the war broke out, then Lieutenant Berthiaume continued training his troops in St-Hyacinthe. He was transferred to the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade at camp Debert in Nova Scotia for preparatory training as GSO with the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He then went to the Canadian Army Command and Staff College in Kingston and after shipped to England. Most of the Canadians in reinforcement stayed in England for almost two years (1942–1944) until D-Day. When arriving in France, as GSO 3 Operations, then captain Berthiaume aided in the orientation of some operations towards the ultimate victory. By the end of the conflict, he was transferred to the 1st Canadian Infantry Division.

He married Mme Denise Lapierre on April 14, 1940, at the St-Hyacinthe Cathedral.

At the same time his father was serving at the Regiment, Jean Berthiaume enlisted with the 84th Régiment de St-Hyacinthe in 1936. There completed his basic training as a private and rose to the rank of sergeant. Later he received his officer commission and was promoted to lieutenant.

Joseph André Horace Jean Berthiaume, OBE, CD (November 27, 1915 – January 26, 2003) was a Canadian Army officer who served with the Régiment de St-Hyacinthe, the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps and the Royal 22 Régiment.

Jean André Berthiaume was born on November 27, 1915, in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec. He studied at the Séminaire de St-Hyacinthe, where he earned a degree in letters and arts. He then pursued another degree at the Université de Montréal, where he got a degree in chemistry.