Sources: Library and Archives Canada Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave

Name: Willoughby Brent Zwicker Rank: Private Service Number: F/43617 Service: West Nova Scotia Regiment, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: December 22, 1903 Place of Birth: Western Shore, Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: September 3, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Bridgewater, Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia Address at Enlistment: Western Shore, Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia Age at Enlistment: 35 Height: 5 feet, 5 inches Complexion: Medium Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Light Brown Occupation: Labourer Marital Status: Married Religion: Baptist Next of Kin: Alice Zwicker (Wife), Western Shore, NS Date of Death: August 2, 1943 Age: 39 Cemetery: Agira Canadian War Cemetery, Enna, Sicily, Italy Grave: Plot B, Row G, Grave 224 Commemorated on Page 229 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 15 Willoughby Brent Zwicker was the son of George Austin Zwicker (1853-1944) and Carrie (Frank) Zwicker (1857- 1942), the husband of Alice Victoria (Vaughan) Zwicker (1909-1985), and the father of Ester Nellie Frances Zwicker (1935-2008), Charles David, Paul Arnold (1930-1982), June Gladys Mae Zwicker Dorey (1937-2009), and Douglas. His last son, Douglas, was born while Willoughby was already overseas. Some records list his middle name as Brunt. Willoughby’s siblings were Raines (1894-1895), Clarence Zwicker (1897-1950), Frederick Oran Zwicker (1905- 1977) and Ada Bridget Zwicker (1879-1972). Family accounts state that prior to his enlistment, Willoughby worked on Oak Island mining for the supposed buried treasure. After enlisting in September of 1939, he transferred overseas in December 1939, departing Halifax on December 22nd and arriving in Gourock, Scotland on December 31st. Willoughby was killed in action during the attack on Monte Criscinà near La Rosamarina (nicknamed Whistling Hill) in Sicily. At first light on August 2, 1943, patrols went forward to see if there was any German opposition. There was none, and around 8:30 am D Company pushed forward and met heavy enemy opposition after 700 yards. The Germans were hiding in concealed places in front of Monte Criscina. Throughout the day both A, B and D Companies engaged in heavy fighting with the Germans. At the end of the day the WNSR had suffered 17 men killed including Willoughby. It was the deadliest day in Sicily for the WNSR. All 17 WNSR casualties of August 2, 1943, are interred at Agira. The other 16 men were: Private Clarence Albert Perry, Service No.: F/40825, 33 years old, grave B, C, 161 Private William Leonard Brown, Service No.: F/55300, 25 years old, grave B, E, 200 Private Russel Garfield Gehue, Service No.: F/39873, 23 years old, grave A, F, 83 Private Gerald Joseph Doucette, Service No. F/40668, 20 years old, B, C, 159 Lance Sergeant Richard Hartney Ellis, Service No.: F/41563, 23 years old, B, C, 162 Private Fred William Keyes, Service No.: F/29690, 29 years old, B, G, 227 Private William Kerr Pace, Service No.: F/40324, 38 years old, B, C, 164 Lance Corporal Horace Lent Bower, Service No.: F/39558, 24 years old, grave B, C, 157 Private John Alexander Kennedy, Service Number: F/29838, 33 years old, D, H, 503 Private Harry Angus Hicks, Service No.: F/40240, 26 years old, grave B, E, 195 Lieutenant Charles Chester Reeves, 27 years old, grave B, G, 226 Private Larry Willoughby Veinotte, Service No.: F/43609, 37 years old, grave B, E, 202 Private André Boudreau, Service No.: F/40058, 28 years old, grave B, G, 229 Lance Corporal Karl Vincent Butler, Service No.: F/54612, 31 years old, D, H, 502 Private Dennis Aubrey Rhuland, Service No.: F/43599, 20 years old, grave B, G, 225 Lance Corporal Leon Joseph Richard, Service No.: F/49820, ,25 years old, grave B, E, 203 Willoughby was buried in a field grave near La Rosamarina and later reinterred at Agira. According to the burial details of another soldier, Archie Joseph Devoe of New Brunswick who also died August 2, 1943, the temporary site was a field grave between Centuripe and La Rosamarina in Enna, Sicily, on a bank just above a brook. In June 2004, Willoughby’s granddaughter Karen Wylie and great-granddaughter Charmaine Wylie, his sister Esther’s descendants, visited his grave at the Agira Canadian War Cemetery. “It was a long journey by bus to Enna and then Agira. The war cemetery was outside of the town in a rural area. We were very impressed by the beauty of the cemetery. The grounds were extremely well maintained.”