The Quebec war hero who has been described as the original Rambo was honoured at a pre-Remembrance Day ceremony Wednesday in Quebec City.
Premier François Legault announced that a road that leads to the Valcartier military base will be named after Léo Major.
Major is not a household name, but his story is the stuff of legends.
“Today we are paying homage to a truly great hero,” Legault began his speech. “Unfortunately, for too long his actions have gone unnoticed.”
During the Second World War, Major lost his left eye in a grenade explosion, but that didn’t hold him back from single-handedly liberating a city of 50,000 people from the Nazis. The citizens of Zwolle in the Netherlands have never forgotten the Canadian soldier from Longueuil, Que.
“Even today, they celebrate him as their liberator,” Legault said.
On April 13, 1945, armed with a machine gun and a bag of grenades, Major ran through the streets, capturing up to 50 German soldiers and lighting the Gestapo headquarters on fire. But for years Major, who also served in the Korean War, never spoke about his time serving the country.
“He was humble,” said his grandson, Jean-Nicholas Major, adding that the elder Major never really considered himself a hero, at least not more than any other soldier.
Léo Major died in 2008, but it’s only recently he is being recognized in his native country. Canada Post released a stamp honouring him last year.
His grandson said he hopes Major’s military achievements will one day be included in Quebec history books.