Emery Louis Geddry - A Canadian Solider Who Gave The Ultimate Sacrifice (World War II) - An Update

by Martin Guidry

In the Winter 2015 edition (Volume 13, Issue 1) of “Generations” we discussed the life and sacrifice of Emery Louis Geddry - the only Canadian of the Guédry family to give his life in combat during World War II.

Within the past four months several of his relatives have provided additional information and insight on Emery Geddry and his military service.

Emery Geddry was born on Tuesday, 10 January 1922 at St. Alphonse-de-Clare, Nova Scotia to Joseph Isaac Geddry and Françoise Marie Dugas. In January 1925 at the age of three years he posed with his two brothers Denis and Benoît for a photograph.

Although the earlier article indicated that Emery enlisted in the Regina Rifles about September 1940 at Debert, Nova Scotia, a Canadian Army Memorial Card states that he enlisted on 29 October 1942 - when the Regina Rifles were in England training on offensive strategies. Immediately after enlisting, Emery Geddry may have received basic infantry training at Kentville, Nova Scotia where the Canadian Army had a training and holding camp. After a brief period of basic training, Rifleman Geddry would have boarded ship and transferred overseas to England where he filled a recent vacancy in the 1st Battalion of the Regina Rifles as they trained for Operation Overlord - the D-Day invasion that occurred on 6 June 1944. He thus became the only Nova Scotian in “The Johns” - the Saskatchewan-based rifle regiment. After Rifleman Emery Geddry died in action on 28 September 1944 near Calais, France, his family received memorial cards from King George VI of England, the Canadian Army and others. On 18 October 1944 Fathers LeBlanc, Castonguay and Mallet held a Solemn High Mass of Requiem at St. Alphonse Catholic Church to honor the life and service of Emery Louis Geddry. The church was filled to capacity for the Memorial Mass. During the Mass six soldiers under the command of Sergeant Major J. Adolphe d’Entremont guarded the coffin, draped with the Union Jack and resting on a catafalque. After the service three gun salutes sounded outside the church.

The loss was great for the family of Emery Louis Geddry; however, the sympathy and encouragement from the citizenry of St. Alphonse-de-Clare, the province and the nation comforted them greatly.

Thanks to Ms. Lorraine Geddry Dunleavy, daughter of Benoît Geddry and niece of Emery Louis Geddry, to Ms. Aurore Geddry Comeau, daughter of Denis Geddry and niece of Emery Louis Geddry, and to Brigadier General Albert Louis Geddry for providing additional information, photographs and historical items.