Major General François-Louis Lessard, (December 9, 1860 – August 7, 1927) was a

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officer, most known for his service during the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

Biography

Born in

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

, the son of Louis-Napoléon Lessard and Jane Felicity McCutcheon, Lessard was educated at the Collège Saint-Thomas in Montmagny and the Académie Commerciale de Québec. In 1880, he entered the Quebec Garrison Artillery as a second lieutenant. In 1884, he joined the Cavalry School Corps (now

Royal Canadian Dragoons The Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) is the senior armoured regiment of the Canadian Army by precedence. It is one of three armoured regiments in the Regular Force and forms part of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. The colonel-in-chief of the ...

) and participated in the

North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (), was an armed rebellion of Métis under Louis Riel and an associated uprising of Cree and Assiniboine mostly in the District of Saskatchewan, against the Government of Canada, Canadian government. Important events i ...

in 1885, although his unit did not see combat. He was promoted to captain in 1888 and major in 1894. In 1896, he was made Inspector of Cavalry for the Dominion of Canada. In 1898, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and placed in command of the

. He took part in the

and was later made a

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in recognition of his services. Lessard returned to Canada in 1901 and was appointed Adjutant-General of the Canadian Militia in 1907. He was promoted to colonel in 1907, brigadier general in 1911, and major general in 1912. He was a director of the

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. During the First World War, Lessard was passed over for frontline command because he clashed with Sir Sam Hughes, the Minister of Militia. He spent most of the war in Canada, including touring Quebec for recruits. In 1918, he suppressed the Quebec City conscription riots, killing four civilians. He retired in 1919 and settled in

Meadowvale, Ontario Meadowvale is a large suburban district located in the northwestern part of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, just west of Toronto. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Meadowvale (village), Meadowvale Village in Toronto Township was established nearb ...

, where he died of stomach cancer in 1927. A

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, he was buried in Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery in Toronto.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lessard, Francois 1860 births 1927 deaths Canadian generals Canadian military personnel of World War I Canadian military personnel of the Second Boer War Canadian Companions of the Order of the Bath Deaths from stomach cancer in Canada Canadian Roman Catholics 19th-century Roman Catholics 20th-century Roman Catholics Royal Canadian Dragoons officers Deaths from cancer in Ontario Canadian Militia officers