George
Erskine Fitzpatrick, Courtesy of Harold Fitzpatrick
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Annandale's Great War: A Short Walk | Douglas Grant | The Fitzpatrick Brothers | 36th Battalion | Wireless Miller Brothers | End of the Great War | Trains, Sound, Film and Industry | Beale Pianos | Electricity | 1920s Annandale: A Short Walk
George
Erskine Fitzpatrick, Courtesy of Harold Fitzpatrick
From
Charlie Fitzpatrick's War Record NAA:B2455, FITZPATRICK CE ©
Commonwealth of Australia (National Archives of Australia) 2013
CE Fitzpatrick, TS Fitzpatrick and GE Fitzpatrick are all listed on the WW1 Honour Board in the Hunter Baillie Presbyterian Church, Annandale. T and CC(possibly an error in transcription) Fitzpatrick are also listed amongst the 1200 names on the Former Annandale Council WW1 Roll of Honour
Private George Erskine Fitzpatrick was a salesman at Bathurst when he enlisted. George was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Battalion - 24 to 26 Reinforcements and embarked on 31 October 1917.1
George's younger brothers Thomas and Charlie had both embarked on the 18th October 1914. They served at Gallipolli and were serving in Europe.
Cook Thomas Sydney Fitzpatrick was assigned as a Gunner to the 1st Field Artillery.2
Bombardier Charles Edward Fitzpatrick, formerly a railway employee, was assigned to the 2nd Battery of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade on 24 August 1914.3
Before George left Australia, he went through training at the Military camp in Seymour, Victoria. There he began a correspondence with Nellie Clark. (See Letters on pages20-22)
His next letter to Miss Clark is from Sutton Veny in the UK, dated 3rd February 1918. It is probably from here, that George recalled a story he shared with his son Harold. Sutton Veny was the base for Australian Troops moving in and out of France and a hospital. (See Letters on pages28-)
From
George's War Record NAA:B2455, FITZPATRICK GE ©
Commonwealth of Australia (National Archives of Australia) 2013
From
George's War Record NAA:B2455, FITZPATRICK GE
© Commonwealth of Australia (National Archives of Australia) 2013
The Spanish Influenza Pandemic killed many who had survived the battlefield. George told his son, Harold, of bodies being stored in wicker baskets in cool churches awaiting burial. One day George and his batman were carrying a basket out of a church, under the cover of darkness, when there was a grown from the basket. The batman dropped the basket and took off in fright and was never heard of again.
The last letter to Miss Clark is dated the 15th May 1918, France. Before returning to Australia, George was assigned to the RAPC (Royal Army Pay Corps). (See Letters on pages 30-)
After the war Sergeant George Erskine joined St George's English Rifle Regiment (36th Battalion).
George was employed by Gordon and Gotch as a travelling salesman. First with a company car and later by train. After he married Edna May Lee in 1937, he worked in their warehouse putting together the orders to be dispatched to the News Agents around the state.
GE Fitzpatrick's George's St George English Rifle Regiment Hat Badge and Sergeant, Lance Corporal, Lieutenant Stripes and Pips. Courtesy Harold Fitzpatrick.
Harold remembers crawling under the dining table, to listen to his father and his mates work through their wartime experience. Their memories were harrowing and if Harold was discovered, he was quickly chased out of the room.
From
Tom Fitzpatrick's War Record. NAA:B2455, FITZPATRICK TS ©
Commonwealth of Australia (National Archives of Australia) 2013
Marghanita da Cruz with the assistance of Harold Fitzpatrick, August 2014
Marghanita is the author of Annandale's Great War: A Short Walk
4 Nellie Clark correspondence, 29 September 1916- 15 August 1918 Collection, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales (Digital Order: a7653020, a7653021, a7653022, a7653029,a7653028, a7653030, a7653031,a7653032,a7653033).Transcripts (pages20-22,pages28-33)
This page www.ramin.com.au/annandale/george-charles-tom-fitzpatrick.shtml last update 18 September 2014.