In Memory of
DERASP EDMOND
Sergeant, E/5759
Royal 22e Regiment, RCIC
who died 24 age
27 July 1943
Remembered with honour
AGIRA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY
AGIRA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY
Born 12 Ott 1918,Lac-au-Saumon, Bas-Saint-Laurent Region, Quebec, Canada
Son of Philippe and Albertine Derasp, of St. Etienne de Restigouche, Province of Quebec.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 2009-08-05
Sergeant Edmond Derasp, Royal 22e Régiment. Born on 12 October 1914 in Lac-au-Saumon, Québec and killed in action on 27 July 1943.
Lieutenant Guy Robitaille wrote an emotional letter to the mother of Edmond on 13 January 1944. Thanks to Josée Tétreault the article was translated from French to English:
"Tribute to Edmond Derasp by Lieutenant Robitaille, hero of the Sicilian and Italian campaigns.
Extract from the newspaper Le soleil of June 10, 1944
Tribute to a Sergeant
Mrs. Philippe Derasp, of St-Etienne de Restigouche, Bonaventure County, asks us to publish a letter she received some time ago from Lieutenant Guy Robitaille, of Lauzon, a hero of the Sicilian and Italian campaigns, who returned home after being wounded.
Mrs. Derasp, whose son died in the Sicilian campaign, had read Lieutenant Robitaille's name in "Le Soleil" when our compatriot returned from overseas. She thought that he might be able to give her news of her son and she wrote to him.
It will be interesting to read Lieutenant Guy Robitaille's reply, which reads as follows Quebec City, January 13, 1944
Mrs. Philippe Derasp
St-Étienne de Restigouche, Bonaventure County, Quebec
Dear Madam,
First of all, I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 9. I must apologize for not having answered it earlier.
I had an operation on December 11 and I could not write because my right side suffered a little.
I knew, dear lady, Sergeant Derasp at Valcartier in June 1940, I was a Corporal and Edmond was with me. He left for overseas on July 11, 1940 with his new friends. There were about 300 of them then.
I met him again when I arrived in England in September 1942. In November of the same year, we joined the Royal 22nd together.
With the permission of our company commander, we have worked together ever since. I was then in charge of No. 9 Platoon with Sergeant Derasp as my right hand man.
Here, dear lady, I must praise the great dedication and loyalty that Sergeant Edmond showed to all of us, my men and me. He was always a precious help to me. Last July, we again led platoon 9 together. Émile, as we called him, never ceased to show his zeal for work, the well-being of his men was always his concern.
On the night of July 26, our platoon was sent forward to reconnoitre the enemy positions towards Mount Santa-Maria, a very risky mission, dear lady, and Sergeant Derasp was always the first volunteer to want to accompany me: always a great loyalty to his leaders. We returned to our positions without any casualties on our part, thanks to Emile. On the 27th, the date of the assault on Mount Santa Maria, platoon no. 9 led the assault from the right. On that occasion, I had ordered Sergeant Derasp to lead a section (18 men) on the left. He fulfilled this mission with great success.
Having been wounded three times, I could not continue to lead my men. I then passed the command of the platoon to Emile who succeeded with his men in finding two machine gun posts and killing several Germans. At the end of this first battle, although Emile was always very exposed to enemy fire, he never ceased to encourage his men by his example and his coolness. This time he came through unscathed.
In the afternoon, I ordered him again to prepare the defense of our newly conquered sector because I anticipated a counter-attack. He wanted to take care of me and get me back to the rear, but the safety of all our men demanded that he see to the others before me. The expected counter-attack came at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and Emile continued to lead my men with all the energy and composure that everyone knew he had. Until he was hit himself, along with his good friend Sergeant Tougas of Quebec, by a piece of shrapnel fired at us by the enemy artillery.
I must confess, dear lady, that due to my own wounds, I was unable to see Sergeant Derasp after I had ordered him to prepare for the defense. I myself was somewhat in the rear on a stretcher. I did not learn of Emile's death until I arrived in Africa, around September 15, because the doctor knew that Sergeant Derasp was my best friend and my platoon Sergeant. My right lung had been punctured and I had only enough breath to live. He wanted to prevent syncope. His death and that of Sergeant Tougas were instantaneous.
Emile, dear lady, always found a way to recreate us and make us laugh. He was always very joyful.
I did not know the first one, who died in Scotland, but Emile often spoke to me about him and his parents. One of his former classmates from Jonquière was with us. He never stopped saying how good you were to him. His conduct in England was an example to all.
I end here, dear lady, do not be sad, they are now made among the saints. You have given two sons to the Fatherland and she thanks you for it. Their efforts will not have been in vain. It was a great loss among all his companions of work where he was recognized of all by his great qualities. All my fellow officers wanted to have his services but he preferred to stay with me until the end.
My sincere sympathies to you, Madam, and to all your family.
You can believe me, Madam, I will never forget the services he rendered me.
GUY ROBITAILLE
Edmond, or Emile as they called him, was initially buried on Monte Santa Maria along with other men of the Van Doos who were killed during the attack. He was later reburied at Agira Canadian War Cemetery.
In his letter Lieutenant Robitaille refers to the "first one" which he didn't know. This is Leopold Derasp, Edmond's older brother who served the 2nd Company of the Canadian Forestry Corps and died in Scotland in 1942. He is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in England.
Edmond and Leopold's youngest brother Lou De Rasp told our foundation what he remembered of his brothers as a child. Sadly Lou (or Lucien) passed away on 20 February 2024 at the age of 90. Lou was so very proud of his brothers and visited Agira once in his life.
Lieutenant Guy Robitaille wrote an emotional letter to the mother of Edmond on 13 January 1944. Thanks to Josée Tétreault the article was translated from French to English:
"Tribute to Edmond Derasp by Lieutenant Robitaille, hero of the Sicilian and Italian campaigns.
Extract from the newspaper Le soleil of June 10, 1944
Tribute to a Sergeant
Mrs. Philippe Derasp, of St-Etienne de Restigouche, Bonaventure County, asks us to publish a letter she received some time ago from Lieutenant Guy Robitaille, of Lauzon, a hero of the Sicilian and Italian campaigns, who returned home after being wounded.
Mrs. Derasp, whose son died in the Sicilian campaign, had read Lieutenant Robitaille's name in "Le Soleil" when our compatriot returned from overseas. She thought that he might be able to give her news of her son and she wrote to him.
It will be interesting to read Lieutenant Guy Robitaille's reply, which reads as follows Quebec City, January 13, 1944
Mrs. Philippe Derasp
St-Étienne de Restigouche, Bonaventure County, Quebec
Dear Madam,
First of all, I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 9. I must apologize for not having answered it earlier.
I had an operation on December 11 and I could not write because my right side suffered a little.
I knew, dear lady, Sergeant Derasp at Valcartier in June 1940, I was a Corporal and Edmond was with me. He left for overseas on July 11, 1940 with his new friends. There were about 300 of them then.
I met him again when I arrived in England in September 1942. In November of the same year, we joined the Royal 22nd together.
With the permission of our company commander, we have worked together ever since. I was then in charge of No. 9 Platoon with Sergeant Derasp as my right hand man.
Here, dear lady, I must praise the great dedication and loyalty that Sergeant Edmond showed to all of us, my men and me. He was always a precious help to me. Last July, we again led platoon 9 together. Émile, as we called him, never ceased to show his zeal for work, the well-being of his men was always his concern.
On the night of July 26, our platoon was sent forward to reconnoitre the enemy positions towards Mount Santa-Maria, a very risky mission, dear lady, and Sergeant Derasp was always the first volunteer to want to accompany me: always a great loyalty to his leaders. We returned to our positions without any casualties on our part, thanks to Emile. On the 27th, the date of the assault on Mount Santa Maria, platoon no. 9 led the assault from the right. On that occasion, I had ordered Sergeant Derasp to lead a section (18 men) on the left. He fulfilled this mission with great success.
Having been wounded three times, I could not continue to lead my men. I then passed the command of the platoon to Emile who succeeded with his men in finding two machine gun posts and killing several Germans. At the end of this first battle, although Emile was always very exposed to enemy fire, he never ceased to encourage his men by his example and his coolness. This time he came through unscathed.
In the afternoon, I ordered him again to prepare the defense of our newly conquered sector because I anticipated a counter-attack. He wanted to take care of me and get me back to the rear, but the safety of all our men demanded that he see to the others before me. The expected counter-attack came at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and Emile continued to lead my men with all the energy and composure that everyone knew he had. Until he was hit himself, along with his good friend Sergeant Tougas of Quebec, by a piece of shrapnel fired at us by the enemy artillery.
I must confess, dear lady, that due to my own wounds, I was unable to see Sergeant Derasp after I had ordered him to prepare for the defense. I myself was somewhat in the rear on a stretcher. I did not learn of Emile's death until I arrived in Africa, around September 15, because the doctor knew that Sergeant Derasp was my best friend and my platoon Sergeant. My right lung had been punctured and I had only enough breath to live. He wanted to prevent syncope. His death and that of Sergeant Tougas were instantaneous.
Emile, dear lady, always found a way to recreate us and make us laugh. He was always very joyful.
I did not know the first one, who died in Scotland, but Emile often spoke to me about him and his parents. One of his former classmates from Jonquière was with us. He never stopped saying how good you were to him. His conduct in England was an example to all.
I end here, dear lady, do not be sad, they are now made among the saints. You have given two sons to the Fatherland and she thanks you for it. Their efforts will not have been in vain. It was a great loss among all his companions of work where he was recognized of all by his great qualities. All my fellow officers wanted to have his services but he preferred to stay with me until the end.
My sincere sympathies to you, Madam, and to all your family.
You can believe me, Madam, I will never forget the services he rendered me.
GUY ROBITAILLE
Edmond, or Emile as they called him, was initially buried on Monte Santa Maria along with other men of the Van Doos who were killed during the attack. He was later reburied at Agira Canadian War Cemetery.
In his letter Lieutenant Robitaille refers to the "first one" which he didn't know. This is Leopold Derasp, Edmond's older brother who served the 2nd Company of the Canadian Forestry Corps and died in Scotland in 1942. He is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in England.
Edmond and Leopold's youngest brother Lou De Rasp told our foundation what he remembered of his brothers as a child. Sadly Lou (or Lucien) passed away on 20 February 2024 at the age of 90. Lou was so very proud of his brothers and visited Agira once in his life.
Jimbo Jimmy, 2024-09-28
Information courtesy of the 