Jean Brillant
Lieutenant, 22nd Battalion Quebec Regiment (Canadian Francais)
- Register No.
- 122 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 22nd Battalion Quebec Regiment (Canadian Francais) (register: 22nd Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 8–9 August 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 27th September, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 15th March, 1890 at Assametquaghan, Matapadia County,Quebec,
- Died
- 10th August 1918 near Amiens, France. (Died on of wounds)
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France
- Medal held by
- the Royal (22e) Regimental Museum. Quebec,
Digest of citation
On 8th/9th August, 1918 east of Maharicourt, France, Lieutenant Brillant, while capturing a machine gun which was holding up his company, was wounded but refused to leave his command. Later his company was again held up by heavy machine-gun fire and Lieutenant Brillant, with two platoons, rushed to the machine-gun post, capturing 150 prisoners and 15 guns. He was wounded a second time, had his wounds dressed immediately and again refused to leave his command. Subsequently he led a 'rushing party' towards a field gun and was again seriously wounded, but continued to advance until he fell unconscious. He Died on the next day
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
BRILLANT, Jean. (reg No. 122).
Lieutenant 22nd Battalion Quebec Regiment (Canadian Francais). C E F.
London Gazetted on 27th September, 1918.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Royal (22e) Regimental Museum. Quebec, Canada (Canada Francais)
Born on 15th March, 1890 at Assametquaghan, Matapadia County,Quebec, Canada.
Died on 10th August 1918 near Amiens, France. (Died on of wounds).
Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France.
Digest of Citation reads: On 8th/9th August, 1918 east of Maharicourt, France, Lieutenant Brillant, while capturing a machine gun which was holding up his company, was wounded but refused to leave his command. Later his company was again held up by heavy machine-gun fire and Lieutenant Brillant, with two platoons, rushed to the machine-gun post, capturing 150 prisoners and 15 guns. He was wounded a second time, had his wounds dressed immediately and again refused to leave his command. Subsequently he led a 'rushing party' towards a field gun and was again seriously wounded, but continued to advance until he fell unconscious. He Died on the next day.
Additional information: He also held the Military Cross.
Additional information
He also held the Military Cross
C E F.
Canada (Canada Francais)
Canada.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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