General Jean Victor Allard (1913–1996): a biography

BIOGRAPHY

From the Three Rivers Regiment to the head of the Canadian Forces

General Jean Victor Allard (1913–1996), also written Jean-Victor Allard, was the first French Canadian to serve as Chief of the Defence Staff, from 1966 to 1969. A militia officer trained in Trois-Rivières and three times awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the Second World War, he opened the way for French-language units in the Canadian Forces.

The Trois-Rivières armoury, where he began his career and where 2671 Army Cadet Corps and 772 Vanier Squadron train today, has borne his name since November 2000: the Général Jean-Victor Allard Armoury.

Early years and the militia (1913–1939)

Jean Victor Allard was born on June 12, 1913, in Sainte-Monique, near Nicolet. In 1933, he was commissioned as an officer in the Non-Permanent Active Militia with the Three Rivers Regiment, forerunner of the 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada. The Saint-François-Xavier Street armoury was among the places where he took his first steps as a soldier.

By 1939, he was a captain in the regiment. That same year, he married Simone Piché and joined the active army, beginning a career that would last thirty years.

The Second World War (1939–1945)

Early in the war, Jean Victor Allard served with his regiment's tank battalion, then held staff appointments in Canada, notably at the Canadian Army Staff College in Kingston in 1942.

Commanding the Royal 22^e Régiment

In 1943, he went overseas. After a brief posting to Le Régiment de la Chaudière, he became second-in-command of the Royal 22^e Régiment, taking command of the battalion in Italy at the end of 1943. On December 30, 1943, near the Arielli River, he carried out a reconnaissance under fire and, although slightly wounded, led his battalion's attack. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1944.

On September 19, 1944, on the Gothic Line, the Royal 22^e Régiment under his command captured San Fortunato and took many prisoners. The action earned him a first Bar to his DSO, in 1945.

Brigade commander

In March 1945, he took command of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade in North-West Europe. His brigade fought in the Netherlands, including at Groningen, then in Germany until the end of the war. He finished the war as a brigadier and received a second Bar to his DSO in November 1945.

According to the official history published by National Defence, he was one of only two officers from the Non-Permanent Active Militia to command a brigade during the war, and one of only two French-Canadian brigadiers in 1945.

Diplomat and commander (1945–1966)

After the war, he served as military attaché in Moscow from 1945 to 1948. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1946, and also received honours from the Netherlands, France and the United States.

In 1953, he commanded the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Korea and represented Canada at the signing of the armistice at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953. From 1961 to 1963, he commanded the 4th Division of the British Army of the Rhine in Germany, a rare experience for a Canadian officer. In 1965, promoted to lieutenant-general, he became the first commander of Mobile Command, at Saint-Hubert.

Chief of the Defence Staff (1966–1969)

On July 15, 1966, Jean Victor Allard was promoted to general and appointed Chief of the Defence Staff: the first time a French Canadian had reached the country's highest military post. His mission: to carry out the unification of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. He set one condition: that he be allowed to create a committee to study the place of francophones in the armed forces, so as to give them equal chances of advancement at every level.

The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act came into force on February 1, 1968: the three services became a single force, the Canadian Forces. That same year, the government approved the creation of French-language units. On May 6, 1968, the Regular Force component of the 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada was created at Valcartier to give the Forces a French-speaking armoured unit. The Ordre national du Québec also credits his leadership with other achievements: Bagotville's designation as a French-language air base, a Halifax destroyer designated as a French-language naval unit, and a French-language training centre at the Collège militaire in Saint-Jean.

On June 28, 1968, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada "in recognition of his brilliant military career." He stepped down as Chief of the Defence Staff on September 14, 1969.

After the uniform

In retirement, General Allard stayed close to his regiment. He was Colonel of the Regiment of the 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada from 1969 to 1979, then Colonel of the Regiment of the Royal 22^e Régiment from 1985 to 1988. Every Tuesday evening, he went to the Trois-Rivières armoury to play cards with old comrades-in-arms.

In 1985, he published his memoirs, Mémoires du général Jean V. Allard, written with historian Serge Bernier (Éditions de Mortagne); they appeared in English in 1988 as The Memoirs of General Jean V. Allard. In 1992, he was named a Grand Officer of the Ordre national du Québec. Five Canadian universities also awarded him honorary doctorates.

Jean Victor Allard died in Trois-Rivières on April 23, 1996. Besides the armoury, a street in Trois-Rivières, the Général-Jean-Victor-Allard Building at the Saint-Jean garrison and 817 "Général-J.-V.-Allard" Air Cadet Squadron in Nicolet bear his name.

Orders, decorations and honours

Companion of the Order of Canada (CC), 1968
Grand Officer of the Ordre national du Québec (GOQ), 1992
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), 1946
Distinguished Service Order (DSO), 1944, with two Bars, 1945
Efficiency Decoration (ED) and Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)
Bronze Lion (Netherlands)
Legion of Honour and Croix de guerre (France)
Legion of Merit (United States), for his command in Korea

His post-nominal letters, as they appear on the armoury's plaque: CC, CBE, GOQ, DSO, ED, CD.

Key dates

June 12, 1913 – Born in Sainte-Monique, near Nicolet.
1933 – Officer in the Non-Permanent Active Militia, with the Three Rivers Regiment.
1939 – Captain; marries Simone Piché; joins the active army.
End of 1943 – Commanding officer of the Royal 22^e Régiment, in Italy.
1944 – Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
September 19, 1944 – Capture of San Fortunato, on the Gothic Line.
March 1945 – Commander of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade.
1945 – Two Bars to his DSO.
1945–1948 – Military attaché in Moscow.
July 27, 1953 – Represents Canada at the signing of the Korean armistice.
1961–1963 – Commander of the British 4th Division, in Germany.
1965 – First commander of Mobile Command.
July 15, 1966 – Chief of the Defence Staff.
February 1, 1968 – Unification of the Canadian Forces comes into force.
May 6, 1968 – The Regular Force component of the 12^e RBC is created at Valcartier.
June 28, 1968 – Companion of the Order of Canada.
September 14, 1969 – End of his term as Chief of the Defence Staff.
1969–1979 – Colonel of the Regiment, 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada.
1985 – Publishes his memoirs.
1985–1988 – Colonel of the Regiment, Royal 22^e Régiment.
1992 – Grand Officer of the Ordre national du Québec.
April 23, 1996 – Dies in Trois-Rivières.
November 2000 – The Trois-Rivières armoury becomes the Général Jean-Victor Allard Armoury.