FITZPATRICK, William Sydney
| Service Number: | 1022 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 October 1914, An original member of A Company |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 13th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Liscard, Cheshire, England, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Wallasay Grammar School, Cheshire, England |
| Occupation: | Mining engineer |
| Died: | Killed in action, Messines, Belgium, 11 June 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium Plot III, Row E, Grave No. 28. |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1022, 13th Infantry Battalion, An original member of A Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 1022, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 1022, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 3 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1022, 13th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Gunshot wound thigh | |
| 15 Oct 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
| 13 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1022, 13th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières | |
| 4 Feb 1917: | Honoured Military Medal | |
| 20 Apr 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Jun 1917: | Involvement Second Lieutenant, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 13 Battalion awm_rank: Second Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-06-11 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
His Commonwealth War Grave record shows he was the son of William and Katherine Mary Clarke, of Bellerive Library, Hobart, Tasmania.
William was born and schooled in Cheshire, England. He enlisted in 1914, and was an original member of A Company of the 13th Battalion. He was wounded twice, won a Military Medal, was promoted up to Second Lieutenant and was killed in action after two years of hard fighting, at 24 years of age.
William served at the Anzac landing on Gallipoli and was wounded a week later, a gunshot wound to the left thigh. He was evacuated to Egypt. He was sent back to Gallipoli during June 1915 and served until the evacuation of the Dardanelles in December 1915.
William was again wounded in action at Pozieres during August 1916, this time with shell shock and deafness. He was treated in France and returned to his unit during October 1916.
By now a Sergeant, William received a Military Medal for his work during the 13th Battalion's famous capture of Stormy Trench, and action in which Captain Harry Murray was awarded the Victoria Cross.
'In the attack on enemy trenches east of Gueudecourt, on night 4th/5th February, 1917, Sergeant Fitzpatrick's Platoon being without an Officer, he led it to the assault with great dash and resolution. Throughout a number of counter attacks and until his Company was relieved on night 9th/10th February, 1917, he was constantly at his post, always on the alert. On one occasion he went out into "No Man's Land" top reconnoitre and seeing one of the enemy, chased him and brought him in at the point of the revolver. His work has ben uniformly good throughout.'
William was promoted to Second Lieutenant after the 13th Battalion suffered heavy losses at First Bullecourt. He was killed in action near Messines in Belgium on 11 June 1917.
His mother stated on his Roll of Honour form that he come to Australia in around 1913. His parents gave their name as Clarke, and were both working at the Bellerive Library, Hobart, Tasmania. William Sydney Fitzpatrick left a will in favour of his uncle, Arthur Fage, who was living in Cheshire, England.