Joseph Gerard Barnabé was born in Masham, Québec, the third son of Cyprien and Priscille Barnabe. Left school after Grade Five at age 13 to work at 13 in lumber camps. Had been working linesman man for Gatineau Power for two years before enrolling in the Royal Canadian Engineers on 26 March 1942 in Ottawa.
Gerard started his basic training the day he enrolled at Number 60 Basic Training Centre in Ottawa and his advanced training at A5 Canadian Engineer Training Centre in Petawawa on 11 April. He was qualified as a Pioneer Group ‘C’ on 21 June 1942. He was able to take some leave before leaving Petawawa bound to embark for the United Kingdom from Halifax on 8 August 1942. On arriving in Glasgow on 18 August 1942, he was posted for a short time to the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Unit (CERU) before being posted to the 4th Field Company, part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, on 20 September 1942.
When he arrived at the new unit, the prime operational and training focus had been on the defence of Britain against a German invasion. That started to change in December when the focus of the 1st Division’s training started to take on a different flavour. It was now obvious that the Allies were preparing to take the fight to the enemy. Having qualified as a driver in December, Gerard took a vehicle and equipment waterproofing course in January 1943. His daily rate of pay at that time was $1.50 with a $1.75 subsistence allowance. He sent $20 to his mother each month.
In December, a small party from the unit visited the Combined Operations Training Centre near Inveraray in Scotland to prepare for exercises that would start in January. The next six months included amphibious operations, mountain warfare and individual fighting skills. The unit developed a close affiliation with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade (3 CIB) who they would support in any upcoming engagements. No one knew where or when they were going, but they knew they would be among the first in Europe and would be landing by sea. The training was rigorous and covered combined operations, mountain warfare, bridging, mine and booby trap clearance, small arms, route repair and construction, field craft and small arms practice. There was even some rudimentary German language training.
The Company was in Scotland in June and had just completed three weeks of mountain warfare when they took part in an amphibious landing exercise on the west coast of Scotland. They were issued tropical clothing and started to waterproof their vehicles. By this time, the whole division was on edge with tensions rising and rumours spreading about where and when they would see action. Would it be Greece? Crete? Sicily? No sooner was the exercise completed than they were issued tropical clothing and loaded onto ships for a week-long amphibious landing exercise and carried out an assault landing from landing craft.
The total strength of Canadian units that would embark for Operation "Husky" was over 26,000 officers and men with tanks, guns and enough supplies to sustain three weeks of fighting. The main invasion force would sail in two convoys with the combat units divided between the "Fast Assault Convoy" carrying the actual landing force and the "Slow Assault Convoy" carrying the follow-up troops. The Slow Assault Convoy would sail first and meet the Fast Assault Convoy off Malta on D minus 1. The ‘Slow Assault Convoy’ left in two groups on 19 and 24 June 1943. Taking different sea routes for reasons and security and safety, they would meet near Algiers. It carried troops, equipment and supplies not needed for the initial assault.
On 1 June 1943, Walter and 24 others left the company area and drove a small convoy of vehicles to Dumfries, Scotland. As part of the Slow Assault Convoy, they were loaded on the MV Devis along with detachments from units of 3 CIB and Division HQ, including HQ Divisional Engineers. Once at sea, the troops focused on physical training, washing, eating, fatigues, games and lectures emphasizing first aid, sanitation and the treatment of prisoners of war and civilians. It was not until 1 July 1943, as they neared the Strait of Gibraltar, the men aboard the ships learned they were part of Montgomery’s 8th Army and were headed to Sicily. With the announcement, a sealed bag containing detailed orders, maps, aerial photos, operations orders and intelligence pamphlets was opened on each ship along with a large-scale relief map and officers and men developed a solid vision of the topography upon which they would carry out their mission. This was in strict compliance with General Montgomery’s direction that every soldier would go ashore physically fit and knowing what was required of him.
For the fast assault convoy, the passage was easy, but not so much for the slow convoy. After passing through the Strait of Gibraltar, the slow convoy was attacked by submarines and had three ships torpedoed and sunk. On the night of 4 / 5 July, the MV St. Essylt and the MV City of Venice were torpedoed. The St. Essylt was abandoned in flames and the City of Venice sank while being towed to Algiers. Six Canadian soldiers were lost along with a significant amount of equipment and supplies. The next afternoon, MV Devis was also hit, just aft of amidships and just below the soldiers’ mess deck.
With the ship on fire, the ammunition stores exploded and separated the front from the back of the ship. The fire blocked the escape of anyone below decks. Amazingly, despite the fire, there was little panic and 257 men were able to abandon ship only when the order was given. The ship sank 20 minutes after being hit taking 52 Canadian soldiers and a considerable amount of equipment with it. Those not badly wounded in the attack were able to join their comrades in Sicily about a month later.
Sapper Joseph Gerard Barnabé was not rescued with the rest and was considered missing for a few days until it was assumed he had been killed. His body was not recovered. He is commemorated at the Cassino War Cemetery. He was 29 years old when he died.