Raymond Dionne was born on a farm in Camlachie, Ontario on June 22, 1899, the son of Charles Dionne (born in Kamouraska, Quebec) and Mary Philomene Dionne (nee Lalonde, born in Sarnia Township), of 142 Durand Street, Sarnia. He had five brothers: Joseph (born 1895), Charles (born 1897), Clarence (born 1900), Delmore (born 1905) and Kenneth (born 1916), along with seven sisters: Rose (born 1894), Lila (born 1903), Anna (born 1908), Mae Celestine (born 1909), Teresa Cecilia (born 1910), Clara (born 1914) and Daisy (born 1917). Raymond was a member of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Joseph’s Catholic Parishes, Sarnia.

In the Great War, Raymond William Dionne, enlisted in the army in January of 1916, recording his occupation as a labourer, and his residence at 344 Durand Street, Sarnia. Raymond Dionne would serve overseas in World War I, both in England and in France. He was wounded in France in 1917, and returned to Canada in 1918. Shortly after returning home, Raymond would lose his mother Mary Dionne, who died in April 1919. On August 21, 1919, twenty year old Raymond William Dionne married eighteen year old Golda Marie Young, who was born in Freemont, Ohio, the daughter of Robert and Emma Young (nee Williams). At the time of his marriage, Raymond listed his occupation as a Pipe Fitter. In December 1923, the young Dionne couple were residing at 343 Victoria Avenue, in Point Edward. Raymond and his wife Golda would go on to have nine children together, including sons, Melvin, Raymond James (born 1921), Robert Charles (born 1923, see below) and Ronald N. (born 1925).

In 1941, forty-two year old World War I veteran Raymond William Dionne, would again enlist to serve his country in World War II. He would serve in England with the Canadian Army, as a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers as a Sapper. In June 1942, Raymond would celebrate his 43rd birthday in England, far from his home and family. Four of Raymond William Dionne’s sons would also serve in uniform during World War II: his son Raymond James, would attain the rank of Corporal with the Canadian Army, serving in North Africa, Sicily and Italy; his son Melvin, would serve with the Canadian Army, Lincoln-Welland Regiment, in Belgium; his son Ronald N., would become a member of the Canadian Army, with the rank of Sapper, initially serving in Canada, who would be wounded on Juno Beach on D-Day, and later returned to battle where he was wounded again on the drive into Germany; and another son, Robert Charles, would also become a member of the Canadian Army, losing his life while serving on October 1, 1944. (see below).

Raymond William Dionne, Great War veteran and father of nine children, was wounded while serving overseas in a bombing raid and was returned to Canada in 1943. Raymond William Dionne died on May 23, 1943 at Sarnia General Hospital, officially listed as, The result of gastric haemorrhage due to military service. Less than a year and a half later, Raymond’s widow, Golda Marie, the mother of nine children, would lose a son to war, twenty-year old Robert Charles, who was killed in Belgium. Forty-three year old Raymond William Dionne is buried at Sarnia (Our Lady of Mercy) Catholic Cemetery, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, L, N, 2C, 2D