Picture of Albert Bonneau , found in the archives of the Ralliement des Familles Bonneau.

• Year of birth in : Born in October 4th 1892 , baptême October 9th 1892 in Bonneauville, 12 miles east of Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan 
• Year of death in : September 8th, 1918, https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/31200/h-a-c-cemetery-ecoust-st-mein/
• Father name : Bonneau Trefflé (1864-1937)* ref.193
• Mother name : Vaudry Marie-Louise
• Profession : Military matricule : 256467 Soldier : 1914 - 1918

MILITARY DOCUMENTS OF ALBERT BONNEAU CLICK HERE : https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/fra/accueil/notice?app=pffww&IdNumber=52199

Texte found in the archives of The Ralliement des familles Bonneau

ALBERT BONNEAU

 

by   Gilles A. Bonneau, Willow Bunch, Sask.

Albert Bonneau, eldest son of Trèfflé Bonneau and Marie-Louise Vaudry, was born on October 4, 1892, in Bonneauville, 1½ miles east of  Willow Bunch, Sask. As recounted by family elders, Albert was quite a handsome fellow! He had blond hair, blue eyes, a winning smile, and all told was a very likeable character. He was the first white child born and baptized in the Willow Bunch area; he was most likely baptized in the chapel at Bonneauville, a small town which was located about a mile and a half east of present-day Willow Bunch.

As a young lad Albert and his brother, Jean Pascal, attended school at a convent in St-Boniface, Man., and during the summer holidays he could usually be found working in his father's General Store at Bonneauville. As was the custom in those days, Albert had not been many years in school before he, as others, hurriedly joined the work force. Once he had begun to work for a living in earnest, his father gave him (as he gave also to all his children) a quarter section of land to help him start in life.

Alas, however, his fate was sealed and not long after the beginning of the First World War, Albert was called into active service for training. Later, early in the last year of that great war of 1914 thru 1918, he and his company shipped out overseas, via England, to take part in the active battle. All knew where they were going, none knew when, nor if, they would return!  Albert was to be one of the unfortunate. His theatre of service was in France, where in the last days of the war he was wounded by enemy snipers. Although his wound was not immediately life threatening in itself, due to wretchedly inadequate medical attention in the field, his wound soon festered and blood poisoning ensued, which led to his demise.

Shortly after this tragic set of events, word of the outcome was relayed to Albert's parents, Trèfflé and Marie-Louise. Their beloved son, Albert Bonneau, had been wounded on the battlefield on the 3rd day of September, 1918, and had passed away on the 8th day of September, 1918, a victim of his wound!

At the time of his death, Albert was only 25 years, 11 months and 4 days old. Though he was buried in the Ecoust-St Mein British Cemetery in France, a memorial service was held in his honour in Willow Bunch, with the church filled to capacity.

 

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends!"         (John 15:13)

 

Sadly missed and always remembered, Albert truly left all eternally grateful for his sacrifice.

 

ECOUST-ST. MEIN BRITISH CEMETERY

                                                         Cemetery Index Number Fr. 433

 

Ecoust-St. Mein is a village and commune in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, France, four miles east of the road from Arras to Bapaume, with a station on the light railway from Boisleux to Marquion and Cambrai: and the British Cemetery is a little to the right of the Croisilles road, 90 yards from the Communal cemetery.

On the 2^nd of April, 1917, Croisilles and Ecoust were captured, in a blizzard, by the 7th Division. Ecoust was lost again on the 21^st of March, 1918, but regained at the end of August by the 3^rd Division. The British Cemetery was then made, in continuation of a German Extension (now removed) of the Communal Cemetery.

The British Cemetery contains the graves of 145 soldiers from the United Kingdom (largely 2^nd Suffolks and 13^th King's Liverpools) and six from Canada; seven of these graves are unnamed. It covers (without the access path) an area of 451 square yards. It is enclosed by a brick wall, and planted with white thorn trees. It stands on the hillside, in arable land, facing another hillside across the road.

 

 

 

Recherches : Bonneau Louise (1969 - )*ref.540