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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William Starostic

In memory of:

Rifleman William Starostic

October 17, 1944

Military Service


Service Number:

B/42072

Age:

23

Force:

Army

Unit:

Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.

Additional Information


Son of Jacob and Lena Starostic, of Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 451 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

II. E. 9.

Location:

Adegem Canadian War Cemetery is located midway between Brugge (17 km) and Gent (26 km) on the N9 which connects the two towns. From Brugge, Adegem is approached via Sijsele and Maldegem. On reaching Adegem, the cemetery is located on the Prins Boudewijn Laan, on the right-hand side of the N9. In the last week of September 1944, the Allies held the city of Antwerp, but the Germans held both shores of the Scheldt estuary, so that the port of Antwerp could not be used. The task of clearing the southern shore of the estuary was allotted to the 3rd Canadian Division, aided by the 4th Canadian Armoured Division and the 52nd Division. Their operations lasted from October until the beginning of November 1944. By 3rd November the Germans had been cleared from the north-west corner of Belgium and the south shore of the Scheldt was free. There had been fierce fighting for two weeks for the crossing of the Leopold Canal. The majority of the men buried at Adegem died during the operations for the clearance of the south bank of the Scheldt; but many Canadians who lost their lives elsewhere in Belgium were also brought here for burial.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram October 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram October 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Niagara Falls Evening Review. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Niagara Falls Evening Review. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Starostic– Rifleman Starostic enlisted in 1941 with another Ontario infantry unit and eventually joined the QOR of C in July of 1943. He served in the Carrier Platoon of the Support Coy and landed on D-Day with the Regiment.  Rifleman Starostic was killed when the WASP he was operating was hit near the town of Isendyke (in the Breskens Pocket of Holland) during the Scheldt fighting.
  • Obituary– Copy of the obituary for Rifleman Starostic from a Toronto newspaper published in November 1944.
  • Gravemarker– This photo of Rfn Starostic's gravemarker was taken in June 2003.

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