Kranji War Cemetery, Collective Grave, Plot 28, Row C, Grave 10-14, Age 30.
Cause of Death:
Killed in Action (bayonet charge)
Place of Death:
Hill 200, Ulu Pandan
Date of Death:
12.02.1942
Buried:
Where killed at map reference 761126 by Major A. Cough Party on 21.12.1942.
General Description
Sgt Fitzpatrick was killed in action in bayonet attack at Mapanyang (Hill 200) on 12 Feb1944. Informant Beilby (2/4th) told of his death at Changi shortly after capture.
Informants Hampson and Bunker (also 2/4th) saw records of death on unit lists at Changi.
Hampson knew Fitzpatrick well before the war.
He was buried Cnr. Singapore & Johore Streets, by Major Cough and his party on 21 December 1942. It took this long to be granted permission from Japanese to seek the bodies of those who died during battle.
Fitzie was mate with Pte. Climie and Cpl. Fred Webb (‘Aussie’ Climie killed during Allied air raid Kawasaki Camp, Japan 13.7.1945) and Cpl. Fred Webb (who lost his life 12.9.1944 when ‘Rakuyo Maru’ sank in South China Sea) during the bayonet charge about 11 February 1942. It was Climie and Webb who informed and confirmed with Winter and Cross.
Above: Fitzie’s parents married Clunes, Victoria in 1900.
Below: David Fitzpatrick, father of Frank and grandfather to Fitzie died Ballarat in 1899.
David Fitzpatrick and his brother marry in 1863.
David and Maggie Fitzpatrick resided in Ballarat and had a family of at least three sons. James was the eldest, then Frank.
Above: history of Fitzie’s Grandfather David who came to Victoria from Country Waterford, Ireland with his brother Patrick. The two brothers were very much involved in mining in Ballarat and surrounding area.
Richard Newell Fitzpatrick known to his family as Newell and to 2/4th mates as ‘Fitzie’ was born in Wiluna to Victorian-born parents Francis (known as Frank) Joseph Fitzpatrick and Rebecca Miriam Cocking. Fitzie was the youngest of four children, his older brother David (died 1940 at Norseman) and two sisters Una and Margaret.
Newspaper reports show the Fitzpatrick family residing in Perth during late 1920’s and 1930s where Frank Fitzpatrick was a commercial traveller.
Fitzie married in 1932 at Meekatharra to Elsie Dora Discombe.
Sadly for Elsie, her mother had died in 1930. Elsie had lived her formative childhood years at Gwalia.
Following their marriage Fitzie and Elsie were recorded residing at Queens Park, with Fitzie a truck driver prior to enlisting. They lived there during 1936 and 1937. The couple had one son, Graham.
Fitzie’s brother David died in 1940 at Norseman aged 40 years. He left his widowed with two young sons.
Rebecca Fitzpatrick (nee Cocking) died in 1937, ages 68 years and was buried at Karrakatta.
Below: Fitzie’s father died in 1948. Both his sons sadly pre-deceased him. He also was buried at Karrakatta.
