FITZ, Mathew
| Service Number: | 3642 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 July 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 13th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Pyrmont, New South Wales, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Maitland, Maitland Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Wheeler |
| Died: | Influenza Pneumonia & Bronchitis (he was gassed previously), Military Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England , 8 December 1918, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Tidworth Military Cemetery, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jul 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Oct 1917: | Involvement Private, 3642, 56th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 31 Oct 1917: | Embarked Private, 3642, 56th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney | |
| 8 Dec 1918: | Involvement Private, 3642, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3642 awm_unit: 13 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-12-08 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 8th December…… Mathew Fitz was born at Pyrmont, Sydney, New South Wales around 1892 to mother Kathleen Fitz.
[Note: no record of a birth could be located on New South Wales Births, Deaths & Marriages website]
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 10th July, 1917 aged 24 years & 11 months, single & a Wheeler from King Street, Newcastle, New South Wales.
Private Mathew Fitz’s Hospital Admissions form recorded he was admitted to Liverpool Field Hospital (Sydney, NSW) on 15th August, 1917 with Malaise (Dyspepsia) & discharged on 16th August, 1917. He was re-admitted on 22nd August, 1917 until 24th August, 1917 with “Gastritis & Chronic appendicitis?” & discharged to Light Duty for 1 week. Private Fitz was re-admitted on 27th August, 1917 with Dyspepsia & discharged on 6th September, 1917 & re-admitted again with Dyspepsia from 5th to 8th October, 1917.
On 31st October, 1917 Private Mathew Fitz, Service number 3642, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Euripides (A14) with the 56th Infantry Battalion, 10th Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 26th December, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was marched in to Hurdcott, Wiltshire, England on 27th December, 1917 from Australia.
Private Fitz was written up for an Offence while posted at 14th Training Battalion, Codford, Wiltshire, England – AWL (Absent without Leave) from midnight on 20th March, 1918 until 7 pm on 22nd March, 1918. He was awarded a total forfeiture of 4 days pay on 25th March, 1918.
On 1st April, 1918 Private Fitz proceeded overseas to France from 14th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire to reinforce 13th Battalion. He was transferred from 56th Battalion to 13th Battalion on 1st April, 1918. Private Fitz was marched in to Overflow Camp at Calais, France on 1st April, 1918 then marched out to his Unit on 4th April, 1918. Private Fitz was taken on strength of 13th Battalion in France on 17th April, 1918.
Private Mathew Fitz was wounded – Gassed in France on 9th May, 1918. He was admitted to 12th Australia Field Ambulance on 9th May, 1918 then transferred to Casualty Clearing Station. Private Fitz was transferred & admitted to 11th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 11th May, 1918. He embarked for England on Hospital Ship Panama on 18th May, 1918 with Gas Poisoning.
He was admitted to Northampton War Hospital, Duston, Northampton, England on 19th May, 1918 – Gassed (shell). The Hospital Admissions form recorded he was admitted to Auxiliary Military Hospital, Barry Road (?), Northampton on 19th May, 1918 & was transferred to Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston on 1st June, 1918 until 12th July, 1918 with persistent Aphonia (loss of voice).
From 12th to 26th July, 1918 Private Fitz was on Furlo & was then to report to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire.
On 21st July, 1918 Private Fitz was admitted to Kitchener Military Hospital, Brighton – cause N.Y.D. (not yet determined) while on Leave. The Hospital Admissions form recorded he had Trench mouth. He was transferred to 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield on 3rd August, 1918 with Vincents Angina (listed on Purport card as “agina”).
Private Fitz was on Furlo from 7th August, 1918 to 21st August, 1918 (Note: 21st was crossed out & replaced in red with 12th) & was then to report to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire.
On 12th August, 1918 Private Fitz was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire & medically classified as B1 A2(fit for Overseas Training Camp in 3 – 4 weeks).
He was written up for an Offence while posted at No. 1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny - A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) from midnight on 17th September, 1918 & returned at 6.40 pm on 18th September, 1918. He was awarded a forfeiture of 7 days pay on 23rd September, 1918.
Private Fitz was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 23rd September, 1918 from Warminster, Wiltshire. He was admitted to 1st A.D.H. (Australian Dermatological Hospital) at Bulford, Wiltshire on 26th September, 1918 - N.Y.D. (not yet determined). Private Fitz was discharged from Bulford on 28th September, 1918 to Convalescent Training Depot at Parkhouse, Wiltshire – Total VD period – 3 days.
He was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 12th November, 1918 from Convalescent Depot at Parkhouse. He reported sick (ingrown toenail) to Group Clearing Hospital at Sutton Veny on 13th November, 1918.
On 29th November, 1918 Private Fitz was sent sick to Group Clearing Hospital at Sutton Veny then transferred & admitted to Military Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on the same day with Influenza. Later that day he was reported to be dangerously & seriously ill.
Private Mathew Fitz died at 02.15 am on 8th December, 1918 at Military Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England from Influenza Pneumonia & Bronchitis.
He was buried in Tidworth Military Cemetery, Wiltshire, England where 172 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
Communications sent to Mrs K. Fitz, Maitland, NSW, mother of the late Private Mathew Fitz, from Base Records in 1918 & 1919 were returned unclaimed.
Private Fitz’s war medals, Memorial Scroll & Plaque were sent to “Untraceables” as no blood relatives could be located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/d---f.html
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