Jean Victor Allard
{{Short description|Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff (1966–1969)}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Jean Victor Allard
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|6|12|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1996|4|23|1913|6|12|df=yes}}
| image = File:General-Allard-NCSM-QUÉBEC.jpg
| caption = General Jean Victor Allard, CDS
| nickname =
| birth_place = Sainte-Monique-de-Nicolet, Quebec
| death_place = Trois-Rivières, Quebec
| allegiance = {{flag|Canada}}
| branch = Canadian Army / Canadian Forces
| serviceyears = 1933–1969
| rank = General
| unit =
| commands = Chief of the Defence Staff
Commander, Mobile Command
25th Canadian Infantry Brigade
6th Canadian Infantry Brigade
Royal 22e Régiment
| battles = World War II
Korean War
| awards = Companion of the Order of Canada
Commander of the Order of the British Empire{{London Gazette|issue=37599|page=2824|date=4 June 1946|supp=y}}
Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec
Distinguished Service Order & Two Bars
| relations =
| laterwork = Inventor, diplomat, and amateur painter.
}}
General Jean Victor Allard {{postnominals|country=CAN|size=100%|sep=,|CC|CBE|GOQ|DSO2|ED|CD}} (12 June 1913 – 23 April 1996) was the first French Canadian to become Chief of the Defence Staff, the highest position in the Canadian Forces, from 1966 to 1969. He was also the first to hold the accompanying rank of general.
Military career
Allard served as an officer in the Régiment de Trois-Rivières prior to World War II. After the outbreak of war in 1939, he was attested to the Canadian Active Service Force and promoted to the rank of major. When the active component of his regiment was redesignated to become an Anglophone armoured unit, he requested a transfer to the infantry and became the Deputy Commanding Officer of Régiment de la Chaudière in England.{{cite web|url=http://www.generals.dk/general/Allard/Jean-Victor/Canada.html|title=Biography of General Jean-Victor Allard (1913–1996), Canada|website=www.generals.dk|access-date=15 May 2019}} In December 1943, he became the Commanding Officer of the Royal 22e Régiment in Italy.
He was in command of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade at the end of the war in Germany, in the rank of brigadier (now brigadier-general). He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on three occasions, the first in April 1944,{{London Gazette|issue=36477|page=1816|date=18 April 1944|supp=y}} and the second time being in March 1945.{{London Gazette|issue=36972|page=1303|date=6 March 1945|supp=y}}
He was the Canadian military attaché in Moscow after the war until 1948 when he was appointed Commander for the East Quebec Area. During the Korean War, he commanded the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade from April 1953. He signed the truce at Panmunjon on Canada's behalf on 27 July 1953. He became commander of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade in 1954 and Commander of the Eastern Quebec Area in 1956. In 1958 he was made Vice-Chief of the General Staff.
As a major-general, he commanded the British 4th Division from 1961 to 1963, as part of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). In 1964 he was made Chief of Operational Readiness. As a lieutenant-general, he was Commander, Mobile Command from 1965 to 1966, comprising the Canadian land forces in Canada and, at that time, the close air support forces, as well.
In July 1966, Allard was promoted to full general. From 1966 to 1969, he was Chief of the Defence Staff.
In 1985, he published his memoirs, with English translation in 1988 The memoirs of General Jean V. Allard, written in cooperation with Serge Bernier.Jean V. Allard. Mémoires du Général Jean V. Allard. Ottawa, Les Éditions de Mortagne, 1985. {{ISBN|2-89074-190-7}}
Honours
{{center|
}}
File:General Jean V Allard Megaplex.JPG
The Général-Jean-Victor-Allard Building, the home of the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, was named in honour of General Allard.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120306060513/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/archives/search/dhh/80-89/84/84-126.doc Jean Victor Allard Fonds]
- [https://generals.dk/general/Allard/Jean-Victor/Canada.html Generals of World War II]
- [https://legionmagazine.com/en/2011/05/canadas-25-most-renowned-military-leaders/ Canada's 25 Most Renowned Military Leaders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111203223/https://legionmagazine.com/en/2011/05/canadas-25-most-renowned-military-leaders/ |date=2020-11-11 }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=Lieutenant Colonel J.P.E. Bernatchez}}
{{s-ttl|title=CO Royal 22e Régiment|years=1943–1945}}
{{s-aft|after=Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Turcot}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Desmond Gordon}}
{{s-ttl|title=GOC 4th Division|years=1961–1963}}
{{s-aft|after=Basil Eugster}}
|-
{{succession box|title=Commander, Mobile Command|
before=Geoffrey Walsh
(as Chief of the General Staff)|
after=William Anderson|
years=1965–1966}}
|-
{{succession box|title=Chief of the Defence Staff|
before=F.R. Miller|
after=F.R. Sharp|
years=1966–1969}}
|-
{{s-hon}}
{{succession box|title=Colonel of the 12e Régiment blindé du Canada|
before=Lieutenant Colonel P.J. Addy|
after=Lieutenant Colonel M.R. Gaulin|
years=1969–1979}}
|-
{{succession box|title=Colonel of the Royal 22e Régiment|
before=Lieutenant General J. Chouinard|
after=Major General R.A. Reid|
years=1985–1988}}
{{s-end}}
{{Commander of the Canadian Army}}
{{Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allard, Jean Victor}}
Category:Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Canada)
Category:Canadian military personnel of the Korean War
Category:Canadian Army personnel of World War II
Category:Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
Category:Companions of the Order of Canada
Category:Grand Officers of the National Order of Quebec
Category:Recipients of the Bronze Lion
Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour
Category:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France)
Category:Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:People from Centre-du-Québec
Category:Canadian Militia officers
Category:Commanders of the Canadian Army