World War I Influenced by his father's involvement with the North-West Rebellion in 1885, Decoteau enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in April 1916. He first served with the 202nd Infantry Battalion before moving on to the 49th Battalion. Decoteau trained at the Sarcee military training camp, near Calgary, Alberta, from June to October 1916 before being set sail for England. He shipped from Halifax on November 24, 1916, aboard SS Mauretania . Decoteau continued to run  while stationed abroad  participating in at least two military personnel athletic competitions. At an event in Salisbury, George V, King of England, awarded Decoteau his personal gold pocket watch as congratulations for winning a 5-mile race. On May 27, 1917, Decoteau , was sent to France along with the other members of the 49th Battalion. While there, his athletic ability was put to use while he served as a communications trench runner. Decoteau was killed by a German sniper on the morning of October 30, 1917, during the Second Battle of Passchendaele. A common, but unsubstantiated, account of his death suggests that the German sniper stole the pocket watch that had been awarded by George V and was later recovered by his comrades  who ensured it was returned to his mother Dora. In 1985, the Cree performed a ceremony in Edmonton "to bring his spirit home". Honours were provided by the Red Pheasant Band, the Edmonton Police Service and the Canadian army .
World War I Influenced by his father's involvement with the North-West Rebellion in 1885, Decoteau enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in April 1916. He first served with the 202nd Infantry Battalion before moving on to the 49th Battalion. Decoteau trained at the Sarcee military training camp, near Calgary, Alberta, from June to October 1916 before being set sail for England. He shipped from Halifax on November 24, 1916, aboard . Decoteau continued to run competitively while stationed abroad , participating in at least two military personnel athletic competitions. At an event in Salisbury, King George V awarded Decoteau his personal gold pocket watch as congratulations for winning a race. On May 27, 1917, Decoteau was sent to France along with other reinforcements for the 49th Battalion. While there, his athletic ability was put to use while he served as a communications trench runner. Decoteau was killed by a German sniper on the morning of October 30, 1917, during the Second Battle of Passchendaele. A common, but unsubstantiated, account of his death suggests that the German sniper stole the pocket watch that had been awarded by the King and that it was later recovered by his comrades , who ensured it was returned to his mother Dora. In 1985, the Cree performed a ceremony in Edmonton "to bring his spirit home". Honours were provided by the Red Pheasant Band, the Edmonton Police Service and the Canadian Army .
D
SS Mauretania
A
competitively
A
,
R
George V, King of England,
King George V
D
5-mile
D
,
R
the other members of
other reinforcements for
R
George V and
the King and that it
A
,
R
army
Army