Paul Triquet

Born in Quebec in 1910, Captain Triquet commanded a company of the Royal 22^e during the 1^st Canadian Division’s advance on Ortona, Italy in December 1943. Before Casa Berardi, a position of vital tactical importance, Triquet’s company and tanks of the Ontario Regiment ran into formidable resistance. His company, reduced to fifty men, with Triquet the only surviving officer, pushed on. “There are enemy in front of us, behind us and on our flanks”, Triquet told his men, “There is only one safe place, the objective”. Taking another 35 casualties, the company captured Casa Berardi. Triquet issued the order, “Ils ne passeront pas!”, echoing Marshal Pétain at Verdun, and with fifteen men, four tanks and almost depleted supplies of weapons and ammunition, held the position against repeated counter-attacks until reinforcements arrived. He was awarded the VC for this action. He died in 1980.