Lieutenant-Colonel J.J. Chouinard
Voltigeurs de Québec
Régiment de la Chaudière

A very good little chap who commands his Bn. in his own queer way … Training ability and knowledge—practically nil. Goal teachable. If now given firm guidance, and kept on the nails, will produce a good show. But will have to be supervised carefully.

(Gen. Montgomery, “Notes on Inf. Bdes of Canadian Corps,” 29 Jan 1942)

Born in Quebec City on 19 March 1894, Joseph Julien Chouinard worked in insurance and was a veteran of the Siberian Expeditionary Force. In 1940, he became commanding officer of les Voltigeurs de Québec, which served home defence. In January 1941, General Thomas Tremblay described Chouinard as “an intelligent Officer, full of initiative. He has done very well since assuming command a few months ago. He has the qualities to make a good O.C. but requires a lot of military training before being classed as competent for Active Service.” Despite lack of training and experience, he was nonetheless appointed commanding officer of Régiment de la Chaudière the next month.

Chouinard replaced Lieutenant-Colonel G-R. Bouchard, and to the frustration of some original officers, the new colonel transferred a number of subordinates from the Voltigeurs. Some even suspected that the new colonel attempted to pressure national defence headquarters to change the name of the regiment to the Voltigeurs.

Despite the difficulties with the transition in command, he led the battalion to England that July. On his inspection tour of the Canadian brigades, General Bernard Montgomery found Chouinard competent though altogether lacking in training and knowledge. After one training scheme, one subordinate officer confided, “It was rather pathetic to see Lt-Col. J.J. Chouinard, our C.O., make a mess of a very simple exercise—he is completely useless, and makes the whole Regt. Look bad.”

At forty-seven, the colonel was deemed too old for the necessary instruction in command and was replaced by Major Gavan Power. Chouinard returned to Quebec to take up training and recruiting duties. His son was Supreme Court Puisne Justice Julien Chouinard (1929—1987).