French Canadian (Quebecer) aces omission

[Laspalmas]

I found a reference to a French Canadian WW1 ace who does not appear in the lists on this site:
Capt Emile John LUSSIER 11 Victories [9+2] C.Shores et al. RAF 73Sq Camel ace, 1918. 5 (6 Ooc)

Found at:
French-Canadian notable pilots in WW1

Anybody know why he is not on the list?

Update: just found him listed as an american....hmmm

[Gregvan]

Hi LasPalmas,

I see you answered your own question. To quote from "Over the Front" by Franks & Bailey, "Though often listed as a French-Canadian, Emile Lussier was in fact born in Chicago, Illinois on 10 Oct 1895. He remained there for the first 15 years of his life and was educated there, but then went to Canada in 1910 when his father took employment building RR stations from Winnipeg to the Pacific coast. When war came, Lussier was living in Alberta and joined up, giving Medicine Hat as his home address. Enlisted in the RFC," etc. etc.

"After the war he returned to the USA where he found... that the American authorities considered him an American citizen by birth, despite his parentage. He remained in the US where he became a farmer. In WW II, as the US remained neutral, he joined the RCAF, serving with No. 1 Wireless school and later commanded Nos 1 and 4 Wireless Schools, becoming a Squadron leader." After the war he returned to his American farm and lived his last years in Westminster, Maryland, where he died in 1974.

So I guess he was one of many folks of that era who had a sort-of dual citizenship, in some ways.

Greg

[Rod_Filan]

Scoll down to line 47


Cheers

[Laspalmas]

Originally Posted by Gregvan

Hi LasPalmas,

I see you answered your own question. To quote from "Over the Front" by Franks & Bailey, "Though often listed as a French-Canadian, Emile Lussier was in fact born in Chicago, Illinois on 10 Oct 1895. He remained there for the first 15 years of his life and was educated there, but then went to Canada in 1910 when his father took employment building RR stations from Winnipeg to the Pacific coast. When war came, Lussier was living in Alberta and joined up, giving Medicine Hat as his home address. Enlisted in the RFC," etc. etc.

"After the war he returned to the USA where he found... that the American authorities considered him an American citizen by birth, despite his parentage. He remained in the US where he became a farmer. In WW II, as the US remained neutral, he joined the RCAF, serving with No. 1 Wireless school and later commanded Nos 1 and 4 Wireless Schools, becoming a Squadron leader." After the war he returned to his American farm and lived his last years in Westminster, Maryland, where he died in 1974.

So I guess he was one of many folks of that era who had a sort-of dual citizenship, in some ways.

Greg

I thought that a pilot's country of birth was not important when it came to his standing in WW1. What I mean is that, if he flew exclusively for the commonwealth (Canada, Britain etc.) was known as a Canadian, then he was a Canadian ace, not an american ace, No?

What about Raoul Lufbery, he was french, but he was known as an american ace because he flew for the americans. So why is this any different?
Makes no sense to me.

[MilesC]

But then perhaps he should be an Albertan ace, and not a Quebecer ace? Despite having a French name, his bio does not indicate that he was even in Quebec, or that he considered himself to be "French Canadian". I would be tempted to call him a Canadian ace, he certainly was as much as Raoul Lufbery was American.