Ficht, Don Francis | grace-united-bram

Don Francis Ficht

Name: Ficht, Don Francis R112

Born: September 6, 1923 in Norwich, Ontario

Died: October 5, 1944

Family:

Son of George Herbert and Frances Leora Ficht of Brampton

Service Number:

Age: 21

Force: Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, R.C.I.C.

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

Cemetery: Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands

Grave Reference: 2. C. 9.

Don Francis Ficht enlisted in No2. DD (AF) RGGS R Wing No.2 Coy, in September 1942. He served in Canada and Overseas. He was then attached to the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders as stated in the Brampton Book of Remembrance.

His Ontario Registration of Death has his permanent address at his time of death as 58 David Street in Brampton, Ontario. He worked in Switchboard Maintenance and was single and of German decent. His cause of death was wounds received in action in Belgium.

A Toronto Star notice from October 21, 1944 includes a photo and history. Lieut. Donald Ficht, 21, younger son of Mr. And Mrs. G. H. Ficht, Mill St. S. Died on Oct 5 following wounds received the same day in action in Belgium his parents have learned. Born in Norwich, he attended high school in Cobourg and Brampton.

Upon completion of his basic training at Cornwall in 1942, he was posted to the training school there for non-commissioned officers. Receiving his commission as a lieutenant at Gordon Head, B.C., he had been stationed at Camp Borden before going overseas last December. Before enlisting, he had made brilliant progress in his chosen career of telephone engineering. He was a member of Grace United church. A brother, Craftsman H. Ross Ficht, also is with the Canadian army in Belgium. The two brothers had not met since leaving England.

An article from the Brampton Conservator on October 19, 1944 adds Lieut. Ficht was born in Norwich, Ont., and attended Cobourg and Brampton high schools. Prior to his enlistment in September 1942, he was employed by Bell Telephone Company Limited. He trained at Cornwall, Gordon Head, B. C., and Camp Borden. Lieut. Ficht went overseas in December 1943, with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. A brother, Craftsman H. R. Ficht is now in France with the Second Heavy Anti-Aircraft Division, R.C.E.M.E.

Ficht, Don francis CWGC Grave Register

Ficht, Don The Conservator October 19, 1944

Ficht, DonFrancis - OntarioCanadaDeaths1869-1938andDeathsOverseas1939-1947

Ficht, Don francis CWGC Grave Register

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He is commemorated on Page 304 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.

The CWGC War Graves Registration Report Form shows James was to be buried in Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands in Plot 2, Row C, Grave 9. He was moved from the Camp De Brasschaet Civilian Cemetery SE on May 1, 1945 to Bergen-Op-Zoom.

The CWGC Headstone schedule displays the information that is to be engraved upon a soldier’s gravestone. For D. F. Ficht it shows;

Line 1: Lieutenant

Line 2: D. F. Ficht

Line 3: Canadian Infantry Corps

Line 4: 5th October 1944 Age 21

Cross

Line 5: Greater love

Line 6: Hath no man than this