Frederick George Topham, VC

Frederick George Topham, VC was born in Toronto on 1917 and attended Runnymede High School. Serving in the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion during WWII he earned the Victoria Cross at age 27 for his brave actions on March 24, 1945, east of the Rhine River in Germany.

After the war, Topham served briefly with the Toronto Police Department and then moved onto a career with Toronto Hydro. On November 10, 1945, he had the honour of laying the cornerstone of the new Sunnybrook Memorial Hospital for Veterans.

Frederick George “Toppy” Topham died on May 31, 1974 and is buried with his wife Mary Durrant at Sanctuary Park Cemetery, Etobicoke, Canada. His medals are on permanent display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Topham Park in East York was named in his honour.

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