John Fitzpatrick

South Wales Borderers


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Unit/Regiment South Wales Borderers
Battalion 1st
Rank Private
Service Number 13027
Theatre of War first served in (1) France
Date of entry therein 11/01/1915
Age at Death 36
Date of Death 18/04/1918
Burial/Memorial Brown's Road Military Cemetery, France
CWGC Family Details
Born Wolverhampton, Staffs
Enlisted Newport, Mon
Resided 17, Gaskill Street, Newport, Mons
How Died Killed in action
Theatre of War Western European Theatre
Medal Entitlement 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
Notes Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal

John Fitzpatrick's Story

South Wales Borderers cap badge

Family

John was born in Wolverhampton in 1882, unfortunately the 1911 census record is the document we’ve been able to trace, this means we have no details of his mother or father.

In 1906, John married Ellen Brown in Wolverhampton, the couple had three children but one died in infancy. By 1911 the family had moved to Newport and John was working at the Orb works.

Military

We know John joined up between August – December 1914 because he appears in the Lysaght Roll of Honour that was published in December 1914. By 11th January 1915 he was in France.

On 14th November 1916 he won the DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal). The citation read:

1/13027 Pte. J. FITZPATRICK
For conspicuous gallantry in action. Private Fitzpatrick and another man volunteered to lead a bayonet attack. On reaching a block of wire and buried bayonets, forming a kind of chevaux de frise, they climbed the parapet and removed the obstacles. They led the attack with great bravery and dash, and utter contempt of danger. (14.11.16)

John was killed in action on 18th April 1918 aged 36, he is buried at Brown’s Road Military Cemetery, Festubert.