# Passing of CWO (Retired) Jim Levesque  RCR



## George Wallace (25 Jun 2006)

I just received this this morning ( 25 June 2006) from CWO Denis Lesvesque (RCD) about his father, a former member of 1SSF, RCR and a former Force Sergeant Major of the SSF in Petawawa:



> Gents
> It's with great sadness that I have to report that Dad has passed away this morning at 0530 hrs. He was a great soldier a great Father, Grand Father, Brother, etc.. He passed away this morning with my mother at his side, you all know he did have heart problems and we assume this is how he went. We are in the process of sorting out funeral arrangements with the Murphy Funeral Home. His funeral will be on Wednesday with visiting on Tuesday and possibly and may be as soon as Monday for close friends. Once the details are hammered out I will send them. Thanks!
> 
> 
> Denis Levesque




CWO (Retired) Jim Levesque  lived in Petawawa, ON., and funeral arrangements are in Pembroke, ON.


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## George Wallace (26 Jun 2006)

An update from the family, late yesterday, on what arrangements are being made.



> Gents
> It with great sadness that I have to report that the Black Devil (Jim Levesque) is resting. Jim Levesque passed away this morning at 0530 hrs. He passed in the way he wanted, no pain at all.
> Details for his funeral are as follows.
> 
> ...


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## Franko (26 Jun 2006)

Thoughts and prayers to his family....

We were having a beer and reminising about our time spent together in the sand box right after driving him and the CO off the CoC Parade on Saturday.....

I was part of his and 9er's crew for the tour.

I'm in shock....

Regards


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## George Wallace (26 Jun 2006)

From the Ottawa Citizen:   http://www.legacy.com/can-ottawa/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=18270830



> Aurele Levesque
> LEVESQUE, Aurele Joseph (Jim) Ret. CWO, R.C.R. Canadian Forces Member Knights of Columbus Fr. Holly Council, Petawawa 4TH Degree Bishop Smith Assembly R.C.L. Br. 517, Petawawa Suddenly at his home in Petawawa, on Sunday morning, June 25, 2006 in his 83rd year. Jim Levesque of Petawawa beloved husband of Margaret Levesque (nee Sturton) Formerly of Quebec City. Dear father of Louise Deschamps (Late Richard PO1 Ret.), Halifax, Suzanne Levesque (Andre Leonard), Montreal, Claude Levesque Ret. U.S. Army, Calif., CWO Ret. Lynda Busby (Ret. Sgt. Robert), Petawawa, CWO Denis Levesque R.C.D. (Viola), Petawawa, Monique Muise (CWO Jim) Kingston, Elizabeth Burtt (Peter), Pembroke and Marie Manseau ( Sgt. Michael), Orleans. Jim will be sadly missed by all his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends may call at the MURPHY FUNERAL HOME, 296 Isabella Street, Pembroke on Monday and Tuesday 2 - 4 and 7 - 9 p.m. and after 9 a.m. Wednesday. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Petawawa on Wednesday, June 28 at 10:30 a.m. followed by Cremation. Members of the Knights of Columbus and Bishop Smith Assembly will meet at the Funeral Home Monday at 7 p.m. Members of the R.C.L. Br. 517 will meet at the Funeral Home Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. In memory of Jim, donations may be made to the R.C.R. Soldiers Fund or Our Lady of Sorrows Church. Condolences, tributes, donations www.murphyfuneralhome.ca .
> Murphy Funeral Home Tel 613 735 5711


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## a78jumper (8 Sep 2006)

Anyone serve with him? As an aside the military seems to be getting a lot of positive press these days. This is the second feature obit about a soldier in the G&M in recent weeks

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060908.OBLEVESQUE08/TPStory/?query=aurele

AURELE LEVESQUE, SOLDIER 1923-2006
He went from the wartime Devil's Brigade to military poster boy when, in 1967, he toured the country during Centennial year as regimental sergeant-major of the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo
BUZZ BOURDON 

Special to the Globe and Mail

OTTAWA -- Aurele Levesque had spent two months in Italy with the Royal 22e Regiment when he heard that an elite commando unit needed volunteers to fill its badly depleted ranks. Since he spoke English, Levesque volunteered for the 1st Special Service Force on Jan. 4, 1944.

Over the next 10 months, Mr. Levesque fought with the legendary force -- dubbed the "Black Devils" by German soldiers because they camouflaged their faces with shoe polish -- in its epic battles in Italy and southern France, as it quickly gained an enviable reputation as one of the most famous of Allied forces. Trained in commando tactics that included the silent art of slitting an enemy's throat, the "Devil's Brigade" also practised psychological warfare by placing stickers on German corpses that said "the worst is yet to come."

Activated on July 5, 1942, as a joint Canadian-U.S. commando force of 2,300 men, the 1st Special Service Force recruited lumberjacks, hunters, prospectors, forest rangers and game wardens, as well as Canadian soldiers eager for action. The next 10 months were spent at Fort Harrison, near Helena, Montana, learning hand-to-hand combat, demolitions and amphibious and mountain warfare, plus skiing and parachuting. 

After invading Kiska in the Aleutian Islands in August of 1943 -- the Japanese garrison had evacuated the island just hours before -- the brigade was sent to Italy where in January it captured a strategic mountain-top enemy position. The battle near Casino was immortalized in the 1968 Hollywood film, The Devils' Brigade, starring William Holden, Cliff Robertson and Vince Edwards.Mr. Levesque caught up to the brigade in time for the epic battle of Anzio a month later, and in June it entered Rome and seized seven bridges before the Germans could destroy them. During August and September, they helped liberate southern France. By the time the 1st Special Service Force was disbanded on Dec. 5, 1944, it had accounted for 12,000 German casualties and sustained an attrition rate of more than 600 per cent. Mr. Levesque finished the war in Holland with the Regiment de Chaudiere.

Print Edition - Section Front
  Enlarge Image 

 Seeing that jobs in post-war Canada were scarce, Mr. Levesque, known as Jim, elected to remain in the army and served as an instructor at Camp Borden, Ont. In 1954, he transferred to the newly minted Regiment of Canadian Guards. Founded on Oct. 16, 1953, the controversial new unit was created by Lt.-Gen. Guy Simonds, the chief of the general staff, to add colour to the post-war army. His many critics thundered that the regiment didn't deserve to go to the top of the infantry list just because it was a household regiment to its colonel-in-chief, The Queen.

It fell to the lot of Mr. Levesque and others to turn the Canadian Guards into a crack regiment. Sporting a no-nonsense demeanour and his trademark mustache, complete with waxed tips, he got down to business. Back then, sergeants-major ruled their men -- and not a few of the officers -- with an all-seeing, all-knowing firmness that did not brook opposition. Serving in the guards meant adapting to its tough discipline, or else. They spent long hours drilling on a hot parade square, striking their rifles as hard as they could and driving their steel-shod boots into the tarmac. 

Mr. Levesque always insisted that parade-square drill paid off. "Right here is where we make them . . . they come off here Guardsmen," he told the Ottawa Journal in 1954. "Every branch of the army, including the militia, will have standards to emulate when the Guards visit them." 

It was the Canadian army's post-war golden era and Mr. Levesque made the most of it, rising from sergeant to warrant officer, class one, the top non-commissioned officer rank, in just 20 years. 

"He never swore, he was a very religious man," said retired WO Dennis Hyde of Chalk River, Ont., who remembers his first company sergeant-major with affection. "The worst he'd say is 'jiminy creeps.' Then you knew he was very upset. He was a very fair man."

By 1967, Mr. Levesque was the model NCO. That year, he was appointed regimental sergeant-major of the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo. Travelling across Canada during Centennial year to showcase the military to the public who paid for it, Mr. Levesque was responsible for the discipline, drill and dress of the 100-plus servicemen and women from all three services as they presented a series of historical tableaus depicting the history of Canada's military. Seen by hundreds of thousands, the tattoo was a smash hit.

After weathering the bitter unification wars of the 1960s, which saw the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force amalgamated into the Canadian Armed Forces on Feb. 1, 1968, Mr. Levesque suffered a second blow. On July 5, 1970, the Liberal government decided to eliminate three infantry regiments from the regular army's order of battle and the Canadian Guards had to go. 

Moving to the Royal Canadian Regiment, Mr. Levesque was by that time one of the army's most experienced soldiers and he kept getting ever-more important jobs. In September of 1971, he was made a key aide to the commander of Mobile Command, as the command chief warrant officer. Then they made him the chief warrant officer for both 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and CFB Petawawa. 

For the "devotion, dedication and loyalty," he displayed during those busy years, Mr. Levesque was made a member of the Order of Military Merit in 1973. In 1977, he was appointed the first force sergeant major of the new Special Service Force. He retired on Jan. 20, 1978.

But that wasn't the end of the Levesque family's military service. Two of his children, Lynda and Denis, also became chief warrant officers, as did his son-in-law, Jim Muise. Two grandchildren are currently serving in the Canadian Forces, while his son Claude served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army.

Mr. Levesque, who loved parades, attended his final one on June 24. His son Denis had finished a term as regimental sergeant-major of the Royal Canadian Dragoons and a parade was held to mark the occasion. After watching his son march off, Mr. Levesque died the following day. His 35 years of distinguished service is commemorated by The Levesque Lounge in the CFB Petawawa Warrant Officers and Sergeants' Mess.

Aurele Joseph (Jim) Levesque was born on July 9, 1923, in Saint Anne de Madawaska, N.B. He died of a heart attack on June 25 in Petawawa, Ont. He was 82. He leaves his wife Margaret, his daughters Louise, Suzanne, Lynda, Monique, Elizabeth and Marie, and his sons Claude and Denis.


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## Nfld Sapper (8 Sep 2006)

Thanks for your service!


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## Armymedic (8 Sep 2006)

RIP Former RSM. He is a true legend. I am sure many will try to replicate, but none will replace. 

I never knew him when he was in the CF (I am much too young), but have learned much about him in my 10+ yrs living here in Petawawa.


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## Ryan Deschamps (11 Sep 2006)

That's my grandpa!   

I always had to hear from someone else how great he was.   You'd certainly never hear anything about accomplishments from the man himself.

Great memories: seeing him on Front Page Challenge, going fishing for pike in Petawawa and being taught how to play Euchre -- "Come on man, show me an Ace for a change!."   He also tricked me one time playing old maid when I was 5.   I had seen his cards and was trying to cheat him.   He waited until the second last card then switched cards, leaving me with the old maid.   Boy was I mad!    ;D


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## Drummy (12 Sep 2006)

Hi,

When I finished Recruit Training in 1957, I was posted to the 2nd Bn Cdn Gds. At that time Jim was the Drill Sergeant Major(DSM) of the Battalion, and later, of course, promoted to WO1 and appointed RSM. I found that he was the kind of soldier who would back up his subordinates all the way if he thought you were right. But, if you were in the wrong, Look Out. A very fair and caring person.

Jim, I could never legally salute you while in the Army, but I salute you now Sir.   

Drummy


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## a78jumper (13 Sep 2006)

Ryan, In what capacity was he on FPC? RSM of the Tattoo? My condolences to you and your family on his passing. I did not know him, but sounds like the kind of person I would want alongside in a hard place.


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## Ryan Deschamps (13 Sep 2006)

Drummy:  That's sounds about right.   He was the kind of guy that'd let you know very quickly if he thought you were out of line.  And the guy who said he never swore obviously never heard him speak French.   

Jumper:  Sorry, not sure.   The Tattoo years were mostly before my time and my mom went off an married a Sailor (former PO1 Richard Deschamps).    Worse, I am a total civy, and barely know what the FPC is.   He was indeed RSM for the tattoo during the centennial year though (well before my birth).

All I ever knew was that he was 1) in the war, 2) had enough decorations to trim a tree and 3) played a mean game of badminton.

I never got to the funeral unfortunately, but my wife was able to go with my mom.


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## TCBF (14 Sep 2006)

Somewhat over twenty-five years ago, a Sergeant told a Master Corporal (me) a story. When he was a Trooper living in the shack (F16) in CFB Petawawa occupied by the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louises) in the early seventies, he left the shack and went home (Petawawa) for Christmas dinner with his family.  His father asked how things were, and the Tpr remarked on how his room mate wasn't feeling too well. Something about severe pains in the legs,  but the duty medical staff  basically told him to come back after leave.  The father asked a few more questions and excused himself from the table.  He shortly reappeared in Service Dress and stated he was off to work for a bit.

When the Tpr got back from leave he was asked a lot of questions.  Apparently his father - the Base Chief Warrant Officer - went to F16 to check in on the sick roomate and then promptly snowballed an ambulance, the duty medical staff, the base duty staff and so on.  I was left with the impression that his direction and guidance that day regarding just what 'Duty' means was given with sufficient force and command presence to ALL ranks that it became an occasion they would never forget nor want to repeat.

The Base RSM's actions apparently saved the leg - and possibly the life - of the sick Tpr.

The Base RSM was of course CWO Levesque.

My apologies to the 'two young Troopers' if the intervening decades have played any tricks with my recollection of the story.


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## a78jumper (14 Sep 2006)

FPC-Front Page Challange

As for swearing, perhaps mais oui tarbaraque un peu...it was interesting to hear WO(Retd) Hyde quoted in the article as he was the CQMS of Supply Company 2 Service Battalion when I first arrived there early 1983.

As a thought obits like this and the one I posted re the passing of Mike Rafferty here earlier should be required reading for people joining up. I am sure the Colonel and the RSM are planning a heavenly exercise as I write this!


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## Ryan Deschamps (15 Sep 2006)

a78jumper said:
			
		

> FPC-Front Page Challange



Ha!   :-[   That was way back, but I'd say he was at CFB Petawawa at the time.  I'll ask the family.   I've been hoping the an FPC archives would show up somewhere and I'd be able to get a copy.



> As for swearing, perhaps mais oui tarbaraque un peu...it was interesting to hear WO(Retd) Hyde quoted in the article as he was the CQMS of Supply Company 2 Service Battalion when I first arrived there early 1983.
> 
> As a thought obits like this and the one I posted re the passing of Mike Rafferty here earlier should be required reading for people joining up. I am sure the Colonel and the RSM are planning a heavenly exercise as I write this!



My dad used to bartend for the Vets hospital here in Halifax and I thought that would be a good pre-recruitment job.   At least it would tell some people that you don't have to talk tough to be tough.

But Dad's job won't be around for long.   There are only a few of these heroes left.


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## Ryan Deschamps (15 Sep 2006)

Ok, Ryan -- just answer the question!  

Grandpa was on FPC for the invasion of Italy during WW2.

Sorry about the mental block that left me sluffing on this one.

Ryan. . .


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## SSF HQ OR CLK (1 Dec 2010)

I was posted in 76 to Petawawa and ended up in 2 bde HQ as teh rear party clerk during the olympics.  He was always in to make sure this rookie kid was doing a good job and probably to make sure I was still being military in attitude i sort of had a problem with that .

Anyway he was a grat man and was always willing tomake suggestions to help me be a better soldier.


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