Obituary: Farewell to an old warrior

It is with great sadness that I record the death of a man much loved by all who knew him on the North Coast.

Mike Fitchat was born on the family farm in the Eastern Cape on February 3, 1927, where he spent his early years until the outbreak of World War II.

He told his father he wanted to fight for Scotland and the British Empire, but as a veteran of the Great War and a survivor of the Battle of Danville Woods, his father told Mike, ‘War is not a game!’

Undaunted, a teenage Mike signed up and joined the South African Air Force (SAAF) and in 1942 found himself in Egypt and El Alamein.

On October 23 that year Mike loaded smoke bombs onto SAAF planes to be dropped over the front lines to cover the Australian 9th infantry division’s advance.

This successful breakout ultimately saw the British 8th Army defeat Rommel, gaining access to Sicily and then to Italy.

Mike learnt Arabic in Egypt and became proficient in Italian.

Back in South Africa five years later Mike once again took up farming in the Eastern Cape, but a friend persuaded him to try his luck in Natal.

He acquired land and for many years was a successful cane farmer at Rain Farm. Mike became a popular and respected figure in the North Coast community.

In 1996 he sold Rain Farm and moved to River Glen owned by Helena Greaves, whom he married on May 8, 1999.

At 75 years of age one might have thought Mike was ready to retire but he and his wife, now Dr. Helena Fitchat, sold River Glen to buy land in the Tuli Block, Botswana.

Mike lived a full and active life and celebrated his 99th birthday in February this year. He died peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of June 4.

I know those who remember him as a true friend and a gentleman will drink a wee dram in celebration of his life.

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