Eugène Fiset

Major-General Sir Marie-Joseph-Eugène Fiset, KCMG, DSO, ED (March 15, 1874 – June 8, 1951) was a Canadian physician, military officer, Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence, Member of Parliament, the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, and the 3rd Canadian Surgeon General.

Sir Marie-Joseph-Eugène Fiset

KCMG DSO ED
18th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
In office
December 30, 1939 – October 3, 1950
MonarchGeorge VI
Governor GeneralThe Lord Tweedsmuir
The Earl of Athlone
The Viscount Alexander of Tunis
PremierAdélard Godbout
Maurice Duplessis
Preceded byÉsioff-Léon Patenaude
Succeeded byGaspard Fauteux
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Rimouski
In office
September 2, 1924 – December 30, 1939
Preceded byJoseph-Émile-Stanislas-Émmanuel D'Anjou
Succeeded byJoseph-Émile-Stanislas-Émmanuel D'Anjou
Personal details
Born(1874-03-15)March 15, 1874
Rimouski, Quebec
DiedJune 8, 1951(1951-06-08) (aged 77)
NationalityCanadian
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)Zoé-Mary Stella Taschereau, daughter of Thomas Linière Taschereau
RelationsJean-Baptiste Romuald Fiset, father
Alma materLaval University
Occupationphysician, military officer

Born in Rimouski, Quebec, the son of Jean-Baptiste Romuald Fiset and Aimee Plamondon, Fiset was educated at Rimouski College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree and M.D. from Laval University.[1] He joined the 89th Regiment at the age of 16. His military career continued during his studies, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant while a student. In 1899 he succeeded his father as surgeon to the 89th Regiment but, a few months later, joined the Second (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment with the rank of major and saw service in the South African War.[2] For his service in the war, he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in the October 1902 South African Honours list.[3]

With the end of his tour of duty in South Africa in 1900, Fiset interned at the Nose and Throat Hospital in London and L'Hôpital Saint-Antoine in Paris.[2]

After a year he returned to Rimouski before becoming an adjutant in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. In 1902 he was part of the Canadian Coronation Contingent for King Edward VII's coronation and traveled to the United Kingdom as the Surgeon-Lieutenant of The Royal Canadian Regiment. In 1903 he was promoted to the rank of colonel and became Director-General of the service.[2]

Fiset was promoted to the rank of Surgeon General (Major General) at the beginning of World War I.[4][5][6][7][8] He was knighted for his service in the war while the French government named him a Commandeur of the Legion of Honour.[2]

He retired in 1923 and began a political career sitting in the House of Commons of Canada as the Liberal MP for Rimouski from 1924 until 1939.[2] He served as Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence.

On December 30, 1939, Fiset became lieutenant governor of Quebec. On two occasions during the war he opened the legislative assembly wearing his major general's uniform in order to express support for the war effort. He remained in office until October 1, 1950.[2]

See also

References
  1. "A history of Quebec, its resources and people, vol. 2". Internet Archive.
  2. "Sir Eugene Fiset returns to service…". Canadian Military Heritage. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
  3. "No. 27490". The London Gazette. 31 October 1902. p. 6909.
  4. Official History Of The Canadian Forces In The Great War 1914-19 - The Medical Services By Sir Andrew Macphail, FA Acland, Ottawa, 1925. Retrieved on 18 February 2012 from http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CFGW_MedSvc_e.pdf
  5. Seventy Years of Service – A History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, G. W. L. Nicholson, Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977
  6. Quebec Daily Telegraph, August 5, 1924 page 1. Retrieved on 18 February 2012 from https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1903&dat=19240801&id=x5UfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QNQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3968,2926315 Retrieved on 18 February 2012
  7. Canadian Annual review of Public Affairs 1914 by H Castell Hopkins, F.SS., F.R.G.S. Retrieved on 18 February 2012 from https://archive.org/stream/canadianannuawar01hopkuoft/canadianannuawar01hopkuoft_djvu.txt
  8. The county families of the United Kingdom; or, Royal manual of the titled and untitled aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland . (Volume ed.59, yr.1919, page 129). Edward Walford. Retrieved on 18 February 2012 from http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/edward-walford/the-county-families-of-the-united-kingdom-or-royal-manual-of-the-titled-and-un-fla/page-129-the-county-families-of-the-united-kingdom-or-royal-manual-of-the-titled-and-un-fla.shtml
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