B166052 Rifleman Albert Joseph Reichelt was born in Buffalo, New York, USA, on 6 March 1926, the son of Arthur Raymond Reichelt and Florence Tisdall. His United Church family included three older brothers (all serving – one wounded), two younger brothers, two younger half-brothers (one who died young), and one sister. He left school at 16 after completing grade 8.

Reichelt worked as a labourer at Fleet Aircraft Limited, Fort Erie, Ontario.

Enlisting in Toronto, Ontario, after turning 18 on 11 October 1944, he trained at Brantford, Chatham and Ipperwash. He wished to get into the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps but wound up in training for the Canadian Infantry Corps as the casualties overseas required replacements. Posted to the United Kingdom in the spring of 1945, he was posted in a large draught to the 48th Highlanders of Canada in Holland just days after VJ Day. He seems to have considered volunteering for the Japan force (with the 48th?) but hesitated and/or his application was rejected.

Obviously a “low points man”, he was struck off strength of the 48th upon their preparation to return to Canada and posted to the recently formed 4th Battalion, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, in June 1945 for occupational service in Germany. As they prepared to return to Canada in the spring of 1946, he was taken on strength with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps in April. Their duties appear to have been cleaning, preparing and trucking equipment to Antwerp for transport to Canada.

Rifleman Reichelt was killed while a passenger in a jeep that collided with a Dutch semi-trailer on 19 July 1946, shortly after turning 20. He is buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference XI. H. 2.