During the period July 20-23, 1917 the 15^th Battalion was in the line near Loos and throughout that four day trench tour their positions were heavily bombarded by German 77mm artillery and especially ‘Whiz-bangs’ – minenwerfers.  The unit suffered a number of men wounded on the 22^nd and 23^rd but on the 20^th three men were killed in action. All three men had come to the 15^th Battalion as reinforcements following Vimy in April 1917 and they served in the Arleux, Mericourt and Loos trench tours between April and July.

18494 Private Herbert Richard Ficht was an 18 year old farmer originally from Iowa when he attested into the 9^th Battalion in September 1914 at Valcartier before being reassigned to the Canadian Army Veternary Corps shortly thereafter. He was sent as a reinforcement to the 15^th Battalion in April 1917 and assigned to No. 4 Company.

During the bombardment on July 20^th, Privates Hanson and Allbright were killed by a ‘whiz bang’ in a trench called Scot’s Alley and Private Ficht was killed by artillery fire while on sentry duty in a front line trench. All three men are buried in Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension.

NOK: Son of Harry C. and Elmira F. Ficht. Born in Iowa, U.S.A.  Mr. H.C. Ficht (F) Champion, Albt