Personal information

J. Leo Rainville was born in Hull, Quebec but his family moved to Ottawa, Ontario when he was 3 months old. In 1939 he enlisted at Ottawa and began his training at Halifax and later in the UK, possibly in Liverpool. He served as anti-aircraft gunner on the 20mm Oerlikon cannon aboard HMCS Weyburn from the time she was launched until the corvette was sunk in February 1943. J. Leo was injured in the sinking however, after spending 12 hours alone in the sea, he was rescued and taken to Gibraltar where he was cared for, then sent back to Canada and continued to served in the RCN until 1945.