99^th / 19^th. Born in Jeanette’s Creek, Kent Co., ON. Next of Kin: W. Brusseau (father). Leo was a single farmer. 

Apparent Age: 18 yrs. Height: 5’2”, Girth: 35”, Complexion: Dark, Eyes: Blue, Hair: Dark. Scar from operation 5 years ago. Medical: 17/01/16. Enlisted at Tilbury.   

After going overseas with the 99^th Bn. 31/05/16 he was hospitalized in England (condition unknown). He did go to France with the draft of re-enforcements for the 19^th Bn. and was gassed during the Battle at Lens and hospitalized as a result of that. He was reported returned to service as a dispatch rider with the Machine Gun Bn. – Transport section, dates unknown.  He returned to France and joined the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion Transport and remained with that unit until he embarked for Canada.

An article in the Tilbury Times, 13 September, 1917 must have caused some concerns for family and friends.

“TILBURY EAST SOLDER KILLED IN ACTION.”

“According to the casualty list in the papers, Pte. Leo Brusseau who enlisted here with the Tilbury Platoon of the 99^th Battalion, had made the supreme sacrifice in France. He is the son of Wm. Brusseau of Tilbury East, and was about 25 years of age. The young hero was a general favorite in Tilbury when the soldiers were quartered here, and the news of his death came as a shock to his many warm friends.”

The Battle for Lens would begin for the Canadians on August 16, 1917 and petered out about the 27^th of August and ten men from Chatham-Kent would be killed in action or died of wounds as a result of this campaign. Happily for Leo’s family and friends he was not one of those who paid the “supreme sacrifice”. It is likely that being gasses he might have been reported as missing in action – presumed dead when in fact he had been evacuated from the battle field on his way to hospital as noted above from the IODE Books of Remembrance.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

IODE

Height	5'23"
Eye Colour	Blue
Age	18 yrs.
Complexion	Dark
Hair	Dark
Race	White
Birthplace	Jeanette's Creek, Ontario
Religion	Catholic
Last Place of Employment	Farmer
Average Earnings	$2.00 per day
Marital Status	Single
When Enlisted	January 15th, 1916
Where Enlisted	Tilbury, Ontario
Next of Kin	Father- William Brusseau, Jeanettes Creek, Ontario.

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