B155379 Rifleman Samuel Joseph Gagne was born in Bonfield, Quebec on 21 September 1918, the son of Thomas and Clara Gagne. He had four older brothers and one younger sister. He left school at 15 having completed grade eight, and was a Roman Catholic.

Gagne worked as a diamond driller at the Chesterville Mine in Larder Lake, Ontario when he enlisted for his 30-day National Resources Mobilization Act, (NRMA), training with the Algonquin Regiment (Reserves) on 9 October 1940. On 4 December 1941, he re-enrolled and was transferred to the Canadian Fusiliers on 19 February 1945. He trained in Vancouver and Nanaimo, British Columbia, followed by various short-term training and attachments.

From 12 July 1943 to 4 January 1944, Gagne was on “Special Duty” in Kiska, Alaska, along with American troops. He joined the active service army on 17 April 1944, underwent additional training in Debert, Nova Scotia, and arrived in the United Kingdom on 27 July 1944. On 17 August he arrived in France and five days later was posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles, fighting with them through North West Europe.

Rifleman Gagne was killed in action on 17 December 1944, aged 25 and is buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference IV. E. 1. His family had the following engraved on his marker:

I GAVE MY LIFE
FOR MY GOD
AND FOR MY COUNTRY