Pilon International - Soldat Emile Clarence Pilon

With further reference to my letter dated 18 May 45 regarding your husband, B-110236, Pte Pilon, E.C., 5 Cdn. Forestry Corps, we have now received some particulars regarding the circumstances of his death. Your husband was on convoy duty at the time of the accident and a statement made by a Belgian civilian reads as follows:

“….I am a driver of tram #745 and was proceeding towards Antwerp about one kilometre from Boon. I was approaching a tram halt when a soldier came across the street. He ran diagonally to the track for about ten metres and then tried to cross it. Before I could get the tram to stop it had hit him. The speed of the tram when it hit him was about 30 kilometres per hour. The force of the blow threw him back and I immediately stopped the tram and investigated the accident.” Your husband died as a result of this accident, the immediate cause being a fractured base of skull and he was dead when admitted to hospital.

An Inquiry was held and it is not considered this injury was in any way caused through the neglect of the deceased soldier.

Any enquiries regarding the disposition of your Husband’s Estate should be addressed to the OIC Estates, Canadian Military Headquarters, Henley House, Easton Road, N.W.I.