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Long-lost poem recounts life of an air gunner BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
No matter who you ask, once you met Francis Otto Fertich, you had a friend for life. So when Frank left this earth shortly after Thanksgiving last year, the loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and friend to many, left a legacy of humorous and wise narratives spanning 90 years. From his early days in Willow Bunch Sask., to joining the war effort at 17, alongside older brother Joe Fertich, marrying Dorothy Fox of Rossland and becoming the city’s Deputy Chief Firefighter in 1952, rejoining the Royal Canadian Air Force and the long and diverse fire fighting career that followed – so many memories to leave his three children, extended family and friends, from a life fully embraced. But there were stories Frank kept close to heart and rarely spoke of. Those were his memories from the Second World War, when barely out of his teens, he served as an air gunner on a Lancaster Bomber. So it wasn’t until Frank’s service at the Trail Legion in May this year, that the family first heard his thoughts of war, immortalized in a poem they happened upon while packing up his belongings. Tucked away in an operations log book
from WWll, on pages brittle with age, was the teenager’s ode to his fellow air gunners - many who didn’t make it back home, alive. The Trail Times was first introduced to Frank’s poem two weeks ago at the first poppy pinning in the Trail Cenotaph. Vern Schneider, past president of the Trail branch, scrolled through his iPad on that crisp October day, sharing words written 70 years ago. From there, Legion administrator Glenda Reilly provided information about Frank, and that launched the journey into this man’s incredible life story. Frank Fertich’s history shows he was a quiet but decorated Canadian war hero. Even more than that, he was truly cherished and loved by all. Thank you to Vern Schneider, Glenda Reilly, and most of all, Frank’s family, for sharing his memory. “Dad was very private about his time in the war, in many ways,” his daughter, Cheryl Fertich told the Trail Times from her home in Victoria. “We discovered (the poem) going through his things so it made sense to have it read at Dad and Mom’s internment (May 29),” she added. “Dad used to write goofy poems and draw goofy pictures so it was really emotional to hear his voice come through
From far and near you’ll often hear of the pilots skill and dare But little is heard of the straight AG or why he is really there To be exact as a matter of fact, he’s the backbone of the crew When you take account of the amount of work he has to do He’s needed on returning home, when nights are dark as sin His job is then to defend his plane and save the pilots’ skin He knows his job without a doubt you really can’t deny When smashing huns with Browing gun, he’s really quite a guy And if a pack hits the plant and bail out begins He knows he doesn’t stand a chance so he just sits and grins And in his eyes before he dies is a glint of devil may care As he meets his fate in a burning crate go sailing o’er the blue Remember there’s an AG aboard and thank God it isn’t you Here is the men of the RCAF. Here is to the men who fly Here’s a toast to the straight AG - and God bless those who die! The above poem was written by Air Gunner and Veteran Frank Fertich on one of his missions during World War Two. (AG-Air Gunner)
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Frank Fertich’s air force uniform is part of a Remembrance Day window display honouring local veterans, at Ye Olde Flower Shoppe in downtown Trail. Craig Fox held a lifelong bond with his Uncle Frank, and shows the decorated veteran’s Royal Canadian Air Force jackets. those words after he was gone. It took us to the time when he would have been over there…also re-affirming that was very much who he would have been with his friends and war colleagues. And he really did appreciate that he came back safe when many of his best friends didn’t.”
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Frank’s nephew, Craig Fox, held a special bond with his uncle from the moment they met. Fox, now living in Trail, was a combat engineer with 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. He disabled landmines in Bosnia, and later Continued on Page 2
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