Jean Victor Allard
Jean Victor Allard & Two Bars, ED, CD was the first French Canadian to become Chief of the Defence Staff, the highest position in the Canadian Forces, from 1966 to 1969. He was also the first to hold the accompanying rank of general.
Military career
Allard served as an officer in the Régiment de Trois-Rivières prior to World War II. After the outbreak of war in 1939, he was attested to the Canadian Active Service Force and promoted to the rank of major. When the active component of his regiment was redesignated to become an Anglophone armoured unit, he requested a transfer to the infantry and became the Deputy Commanding Officer of Régiment de la Chaudière in England. In December 1943, he became the Commanding Officer of the Royal 22e Régiment in Italy.He was in command of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade at the end of the war in Germany, in the rank of brigadier. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on three occasions. He was the Canadian Military Attaché in Moscow after the war until 1948 when he was appointed Commander for the East Quebec Area. During the Korean War, he commanded the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade from April 1953. He signed the truce at Panmunjon on Canada's behalf on 27 July 1953. He became commander of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade in 1954 and Commander of the Eastern Quebec Area in 1956. In 1958 he was made Vice-Chief of the General Staff.
As a major-general, he commanded the British 4th Division from 1961 to 1963, as part of the British Army of the Rhine. In 1964 he was made Chief of Operational Readiness. As a lieutenant-general, he was Commander, Mobile Command from 1965 to 1966, comprising the Canadian land forces in Canada and, at that time, the close air support forces, as well.
In July 1966, Allard was promoted to full general. From 1966 to 1969, he was Chief of the Defence Staff.
In 1985, he published his memoirs, with English translation in 1988 The memoirs of General Jean V. Allard, written in cooperation with Serge Bernier.
Honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| Companion of the Order of Canada |
| |
| Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire | ||
| Serving Member of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem | ||
| Grand officier de l'Ordre national du Québec | ||
| Distinguished Service Order and two bars |
| |
| 1939–1945 Star | ||
| Italy Star | ||
| France and Germany Star | ||
| Defence Medal | ||
| Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Service bar | ||
| War Medal 1939–1945 | ||
| Korea Medal | ||
| Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea | ||
| United Nations Korea Medal | ||
| Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal | ||
| Canadian Centennial Medal | ||
| Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal for Canada | ||
| 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal | ||
| Efficiency Decoration | ||
| Canadian Forces' Decoration | ||
| Bronze Lion | ||
| Chevalier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur | ||
| Croix de Guerre avec Palme en Bronze | ||
| Officer of the Legion of Merit |
The Général-Jean-Victor-Allard Building, the home of the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, was named in honour of General Allard.