
Today, we mourn the loss of World War II Veteran Paul DeLorme, who left this world in the afternoon on March 24th, at the age of 102.
Veteran DeLorme, who served as an infantry soldier with the South Saskatchewan Regiment, participated in the failed raid on Dieppe France on August 19, 1942. It was a battle that paved the way for the D-Day landings in 1944 but at an enormous cost, with nearly 3,000 Canadians either killed or taken prisoner on the beach. Veteran DeLorme was one of the more than 1,900 Canadians captured at Dieppe — the largest group taken in Canadian war history.
Since 2019, when we signed the agreement for the World War II veterans, we have found 30 living veterans to recognize and make good on the promises that were made by Canada in 1945 to Métis veterans. Veteran DeLorme is the 22nd of the 30 World War II Métis Veterans to pass away after being honoured. Veteran DeLorme lived in Essex, England where he resided after the war and wrote a book about his experience, A Métis Man Goes to War, which showed not only his strength and resilience, but his pride in being Métis.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Veteran DeLorme’s family for their loss and commemorate the life of a valued Métis veteran.