Bellefontaine, Oswald Joseph

Normandy Massacres

Date of birth:: October 15th, 1919 (West Chezzetcook/Nova Scotia, Canada)
Date of death:: June 7th, 1944 (Authie/Somme, France)
Buried on:: Canadian War Cemetery Beny-sur-mer
Plot: II. Row: A. Grave: 4.
Service number:: F/56680
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Oswald Joseph Bellefontaine was born in the small Acadian community of West Chezzetcook, Halifax County, Nova Scotia. He was the son of Stephen (Etienne) and Mathilda Bellefontaine, and grew up in a close-knit Roman Catholic family rooted in the traditions and language of the region. Before the war, Oswald worked as a labourer and was known for his quiet dedication and strong sense of duty.

At the age of 23, he enlisted in the Canadian Army on April 12, 1943, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was assigned the service number F/56680 and joined the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, a regiment of the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. He stood 5 feet 7¾ inches tall with dark brown eyes and black hair.

Private Bellefontaine was deployed to Europe as part of the Allied effort to liberate Nazi-occupied territories during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944—D-Day—he landed in Normandy with his regiment as part of the massive Allied invasion. Tragically, the following day, June 7, 1944, he was captured and executed by members of the 12th SS Panzer Division in the village of Authie, France. He was just 24 years old.

His death was witnessed by a 12-year-old French boy named Jean-Claude Alapérinne, who never forgot the horror of that day. Years later, Alapérinne sought to reconnect with Oswald’s family, eventually meeting his niece during a school trip to Normandy. This encounter led to a lasting friendship between the Alapérinne and Bellefontaine families, a poignant testament to remembrance and reconciliation.

Private Oswald Joseph Bellefontaine is buried in the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in France. He is commemorated on page 247 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance, displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa.

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