Michael Joseph Dalton,

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

, MC (May 5, 1902 – April 6, 2009) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

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military chaplain who was the most decorated RC Padre in history of Canada's military. Dalton was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1932. In 1939, at the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he volunteered to join the

Essex Scottish Regiment The Essex Scottish was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army until 1954. History Founded in 1885 as the 21st Essex Battalion of Infantry, it went through several name changes including: 1887 - 21st Battalion, Essex Fusiliers; 1900 - 21st R ...

of the Canadian Army and served the regiment in

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France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

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The Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

and

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. Although he could have avoided front line service due to his age and position, Dalton stated that he saw it as his duty to serve. Dalton was known to work on the front lines of military combat and often marched with his men, carrying their weapons when they grew fatigued. Dalton was known to drive his jeep, often against orders, to the front lines of combat in order to hear confessions. Dalton was with the Essex Scottish Regiment in their role within the ill-fated

Dieppe Raid Operation Jubilee or the Dieppe Raid (19 August 1942) was an Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, during the Second World War. Over 6,050 infantry, predominantly Canadian, supported by a regiment o ...

. Dalton was present with the regiment when their first two attempts to land were called off, but he missed their successful third attempt to land due to a chaplain's meeting. Learning about the regiment's landing without him, Dalton demanded to be allowed to go ashore, but his request was denied. Only 44 of the 588 men who landed at Dieppe returned, the rest killed or captured. Dalton took the responsibility of notifying the families of the dead. In the 1943 King's Birthday Honours, Dalton became the first Catholic priest to be appointed

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. The award was given to him by King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

. The city of Windsor named Dalton as the Veteran of the Year and Citizen of the Year in 1967, while the City of London, Ontario created a "Father Dalton Drive" to honor his military record. Father Dalton continued to say the

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until his death. At the time of his death, a month shy of his 107th birthday, Dalton was believed to have been the oldest Catholic priest in Canada and Canada's oldest surviving serviceman from World War II.

References

Canadian Army officers of World War II Essex Scottish Regiment 20th-century Canadian Roman Catholic priests 1902 births 2009 deaths Canadian centenarians Men centenarians {{RC-clergy-stub