Jean Baptiste Arthur Brillant Tales of the V.C.
Jean Baptiste Arthur Brillant VC MC (15 March 1890 – 10 August 1918) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Brillant was born on 15 March 1890 in Assemetquagan, Routhierville, Quebec, the son of Joseph Brillant, a railway maintenance worker, and Rose-de-Lima Raiche.
Brillant volunteered for service with the 89th (Temiscouata and Rimouski) Regiment (from 1920 the Fusiliers du Saint-Laurent) and held the rank of lieutenant. In 1916, eager to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he declared 13 years' service with this unit.
He was awarded the VC for his actions on 8/9 August east of Meharicourt, France the first and second days of the Battle of Amiens. He died the next day on 10 August 1918.
VC citation
For most conspicuous bravery and outstanding devotion to duty when in charge of a company which he led in attack during two days with absolute fearlessness and extraordinary ability and initiative, the extent of the advance being twelve miles. On the first day of operations shortly after the attack had begun, his company's left flank was held up by an enemy machine gun. Lt. Brillant rushed and captured the machine-gun, personally killing two of the enemy crew. Whilst doing this, he was wounded but refused to leave his command. Later on the same day, his company was held up by heavy machine-gun fire. He reconnoitred the ground personally, organised a party of two platoons and rushed straight for the machine-gun nest. Here 150 enemy and fifteen machine-guns were captured. Lt. Brillant personally killing five of the enemy, and being wounded a second time. He had this wound dressed immediately, and again refused to leave his company. Subsequently this gallant officer detected a field gun firing on his men over open sights. He immediately organised and led a
ushing party towards the gun. After progressing about 600 yards, he was again seriously wounded. In spite of this third wound, he continued to advance for some 200 yards more, when he fell unconscious from exhaustion and loss of blood. Lt. Brillant's wonderful example throughout the day inspired his men with an enthusiasm and dash which largely contributed towards the success of the operations.
—The London Gazette (No. 30922), 27 September 1918. Note: There is mention of red poppies scarlet poppies and other flowers on the battlefield while describing the actions of this Canadian. The attached account of his actions was written by James Price Lloyd of the Welsh Regiment, who served with Military Intelligence. After the war, the government to destroyed all the archives relating to this propaganda (section MI 7b (1)). They were regarded as being too sensitive to risk being made public. Remarkably these documents have survived in the personal records of Captain Lloyd. Many of these papers are officially stamped, and one can trace the development of many individual articles from the notes based on an idea, to the pencil draft which is then followed by the hand-written submission and the typescript. The archive Tales of the VC comprises 94 individual accounts of the heroism that earned the highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross. These are recounted deferentially and economically, yet they still manage to move the reader.
Date stamp: 8 November 1918.
Article with annotations.
CONTRIBUTOR
Jeremy Arter
DATE
1918-08-08 - 1918-08-09
LANGUAGE
eng
ITEMS
8
INSTITUTION
Europeana 1914-1918
PROGRESS
METADATA
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