Name: John Francis Plichie Rank: Private Service Number: F/54882 Service: North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment (MG) Date of Birth: June 23, 1920 Place of Birth: Sydney Mines, Cape Breton Co., Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: October 19, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Glace Bay, Cape Breton Co., NS Address at Enlistment: Glace Bay, Cape Breton Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 17 Height: 5 feet, 6 inches Complexion: Fair Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Dark Occupation: Farmer Marital Status: Single Religion: Catholic Next of Kin: Joseph Plichie (Father) Date of Death: March 24, 1941 Age: 20 Cemetery: St. John’s Cemetery, Glace Bay, Cape Breton Co., Nova Scotia Grave: Row 3, Lot 40 Commemorated on Page 41 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 1 John was the son of Joseph G. Plichie (1893-1979) and Florence ‘Flora’ (Mackinnon) Plichie (1901-1976), and the brother of Roy Plichie, Rudolph Plichie, Louis Plichie, Rozetta Elizabeth (Plichie) Edmond (1920-2009), Gabriella Plichie Rushton, Caroletta Plichie, and Marguerita Plichie. His father was born Giuseppe Pagliccia, in Brittoli, Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy, and changed his surname to ‘Plichie.’ The transformation from Pagliccia (pronounced roughly Pah-lit-chee-uh.) to Plichie preserves the core consonant sounds while adapting to English orthography. At enlistment, John stated his birth year was 1920, suggesting he was 19, but he was born in June of 1922, so he was only 17 at enlistment. He was taken on strength with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders on June 10, 1940, in Amherst, Nova Scotia and was serving at Debert Camp in March of 1941. John was admitted to the Highland View Hospital in Amherst, Cumberland Co., Nova Scotia on March 19, 1941, and died give days later on March 24th, from acute peritonitis after surgery due to a ruptured appendix. He was interred in his home town of Glace Bay, Cape Breton at the Saint John’s Cemetery.

Sources Service File – John Francis Plichie