Rhéal Lalonde, son of Joseph and Eugénie Perreault of L’Orignal, was born November 9, 1922, and was the first of two Lalonde boys to enlist at age 17. His brother Omer followed in his footsteps.

Having chosen artillery, he did his basic training in Kingston and Peterborough, and his advanced gun training at Petawawa. He then headed to Sorel for basic infantry training and joined the Régiment de Maisonneuve. Rhéal was reunited with his brother Omer when he reported for advanced training at Farnham.

In 1942, the two brothers embarked for Europe on the ship “Arcade”. With its rudimentary interior, the vessel offered little comfort to the soldiers: hammocks to sleep in, long tables at which to eat the two meals of the day. The crossing proved even worse for Rhéal, who suffered terribly from seasickness. He had to be hospitalized for a week upon arrival in Liverpool, England.

From Liverpool, the two brothers went to Wikley Camp; Omer stayed there while Rheal was sent to the Maisonneuve Regiment at Borner Regis for the winter, training and practicing defense scenarios. In the spring, training continued with troops digging trenches in case of invasion and changing locations frequently. It was in England that Rheal Lalonde became a lance-corporal, corporal and then sergeant. In this capacity, he participated in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944.

For the young sergeant, crossing the English Channel in boats smaller than the waves was dreadful. At Juno Beach, he was part of the 2nd Line with the 30 men of his platoon. The Germans retreated under the first wave of assault. The 2nd Line stayed for a week at Juno Beach to keep watch before heading to the Front at Caen. Brother Omer, a Bren-Gun Carrier driver and truck driver, was closer to the Front than Rhéal, who was an NCO.

From Caen, the infantry advanced by marching toward Germany and then heading for Holland. The heat and dust of large vehicles, stifling woolen uniforms and the heavy equipment to be transported made life quite difficult for the troops.

Rhéal Lalonde stayed in Holland until May 1945, helping to rid the country of remaining enemy forces. With his 30 men (one of whom lost his life), he did night patrol duty.

Three days before the armistice, Rhéal left for England, where he became an artillery instructor. The day after his arrival, peace was declared; there was joy for all, dancing in the streets. He was then promoted to sergeant quartermaster and provided clothing to soldiers newly released from prison camps and hospitals, and literally had nothing left.

In May 1945, he returned to Canada on the Queen Mary with the American troops. Ralph Ellis from L’Orignal was on the same ship. The two men landed in New York and returned to Montreal by train. Rhéal had no wish to pursue a career in the Army. His civilian career was with the CIP in Hawkesbury, where he worked as a crane operator for 35 years.

In 1946, he married Jacqueline Théorêt, whom he met at a party organized in honor of his return. (She died in 1990.) The couple had two daughters: Nicole and Francine.