Lucien Desjardins

Lucien Desjardins grew up in Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Corp of Signals where he served as a communications officer during World War II. His job was to lay down wire for the army phones between camps. He spent time on Adak, Great Sitkin Island and Kiska in the Aleutians.

His personal story of war in the Aleutians - and the "Battle for Kiska" -- is from the perspective of a French-Canadian ally serving alongside American servicemen. Son histoire est disponible en français aussi.

 

Young Lucien, at left, and in his later years. M. Desjardins passed away in January, 2013.

Photo courtesy of Jacques, Louise and Michel Desjardins, from the collection of Lucien Desjardins.

 

Download a complete transcript of Lucien Desjardin's interview from January, 2011

 

• Interview - Lucien Desjardins

  
  

  Listen to Lucien Desjardins describe his time in the Royal Canadian Corps and his life after the war.

  Duration:

  28 minutes, 14 seconds

  Credit / Author:

  NPS / Janet Clemens & Lucien Desjardains

  Date created:

  2011-01-27

  Audio Transcript

  
  Lucien Desjardins Transcript Summary
  
  [0:01:25.0]  Beginning of interview.
  
  [0:02:07.8]  Permission to tape the interview.
  
  [0:02:30.7]  Date of birth.
  
  [0:03:19.1]  Current location in Montreal, Canada.
  
  [0:04:22.2]  Joining the Royal Canadian Corps.
  
  [0:05:51.3]  Heading to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.
  
  [0:06:19.2]  Arriving in Adak in the Aleutian Islands.
  
  [0:08:19.7]  The Japanese Naval Base on Kiska.
  
  [0:09:45.0]  Mr. Desjardins’ job while on Kiska.
  
  [0:10:24.0]  Contact with American forces.
  
  [0:11:16.8]  Canadian food accommodations while stationed on Kiska.
  
  [0:11:50.5]  Length of stay on Kiska.
  
  [0:12:22.4]  Leaving Kiska.
  
  [0:13:16.0]  Impressions of the Aleutian Islands.
  
  [0:15:50.0]  Japanese memorabilia while in the Aleutian Islands.
  
  [0:17:24.2]  Mr. Desjardins got married when he returned from Kiska.
  
  [0:17:52.0]  Military work after getting married.
  
  [0:18:42.7]  Length of military service.
  
  [0:19:34.9]  Career as a fireman.
  
  [0:20:31.4]  Mr. Desjardins’ regiment in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals.
  
  [0:21:39.2]  Thank you for the interview.
  
  [0:22:18.4]  Interview switches to Jacques Desjardins, Lucien Desjardins’ son.
  
  [0:23:21.4]  Canadian article about the Aleutian invasion from a Canadian perspective.
  
  [0:25:43.6]  Description of the photo on the magazine.
  
  [0:26:45.5]  Correction to Mr. Desjardins’ interview, Japanese instead of German.
  
  [0:27:10.8] Permission forms will be sent.
  
  [0:28:01.4] Thank you for interview.
  
  End of interview at [0:28:07.7]
  

 

Four generations of Desjardins

Photo courtesy of Jacques, Louise and Michel Desjardins, from the collection of Lucien Desjardins.