Guy Bertrand, son of Élie O. Bertrand and Armandine Scott, was born April 10, 1921, in L’Orignal. At age 20, he joined the Air Force and left for Trenton, ON, to begin his military training. He later returned to St-Eugène, ON, to continue training at No. 13 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS). This airport, now completely demolished, could accommodate up to 100 planes at that time. 

Guy got his wings in April 1942 in St-Hubert, QC. He subsequently trained at Mont-Joli, QC, as a fighter pilot escorting large bombers. He completed his training in Bagotville on Harvard aircraft. On December 9, 1942, three Harvard aircraft were sent for a weather check flight when usually only one was sufficient. Guy Bertrand, one of the pilots, was accompanied by a Sergeant Vallée. Since no other aircraft were flying at this time, the pilots decided to conduct a simulated combat exercise (Dog fight). 

The three planes flew at a distance of four thousand feet in a close formation at a speed of 180 mph. In a tight turn ending in a roll, the unthinkable happened. Guy’s plane severed the fuselage of one aircraft and the right wing of the third aircraft. Two occupants successfully parachuted and two managed to land. Unfortunately, Guy Bertrand’s and Sergeant Vallée’s plane was out of luck, and both pilots were killed in the crash. René, his brother, on a minesweeper returning from Reykjavik, heard the sad news on Christmas Eve when his superiors called him to the bridge to announce his brother’s death.