General Jean Victor Allard (12 June 1913 – 23 April 1996) was the first French Canadian to become Chief of the Defence Staff, the highest position in the Canadian Forces, from 1966 to 1969. He was also the first to hold the accompanying rank of general.

Military career

Allard served as an officer in the Régiment de Trois-Rivières prior to World War II. After the outbreak of war in 1939, he was attested to the Canadian Active Service Force and promoted to the rank of major. When the active component of his regiment was redesignated to become an Anglophone armoured unit, he requested a transfer to the infantry and became the Deputy Commanding Officer of Régiment de la Chaudière in England. In December 1943, he became the Commanding Officer of the Royal 22<sup>e</sup> Régiment in Italy. and the second time being in March 1945.

He was the Canadian military attaché in Moscow after the war until 1948 when he was appointed Commander for the East Quebec Area.

Honours

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|Ribbon || Description || Notes

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|80px || Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.) ||

  • Awarded on: June 28, 1968
  • Invested on: November 12, 1968
  • "Former Chief of the Defence Staff. In recognition of his brilliant military career."

|-

|80px || Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) ||

  • 1946

|-

|80px || Serving Member of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ||

|-

|80px<br />80px<br />80px || Distinguished Service Order and two bars (DSO) ||

  • 18 March 1944 – awarded as a Lieutenant-Colonel
  • 20 January 1945 – awarded first bar as a Lieutenant-Colonel
  • 10 November 1945 – awarded second bar as a brigadier