Hello:
I am looking for information or a photo of the following officer who fell in the Great War for a book that I am writing.
Cheers
Andy
Philip Henry Burt Fitch
Medals: Military Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham from 1911 to 1915
Commissioned as 2nd Lieut., RFA (TF) in the 3/3rd South Midland Bde, RFA (TF) on 23 Dec 15
Posted to D Battery, 77th Brigade, RFA on 7 Dec 16
77th Bde and 177th Bde, RFA were both part of the 16th (Irish) Divisional Artillery and Fitch probably transferred to D/177th Bde, RFA on 22 Feb 1917 when 77th Bde became an Army Brigade and its D (H) Bty was broken up to bring D/177 and D/180 up to six gun batteries.
MC for action in June 1917, annotated award: Arras and Vimy Ridge. Early Ypres. Messines Ridge.
Citation: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in accompanying another officer and a serjeant into a gun emplacement in which a serious explosion had taken place, bringing out the killed and wounded and extinguishing a fire caused by the explosion amongst the ammunition."
Killed while engaged in night-firing by a shell from a field gun on 23 July 1917.
Sources: Service Record of King Edward’s School, Birmingham 1914-1919; War Diary of 77th Brigade, RFA; Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3A; various Army Lists.
Wiki says:
16th Irish Division was established by the Irish Command in September 1914, as part of Kitchener's Second New Army. They moved to England and into barracks in Aldershot by the end of the month. Some units were transferred to the 37th and Guards Divisions when they were formed in 1915, amongst them the Divisional Ammunition Column, being renamed accordingly. A new 16th Divisional Ammunition Column joined 16th (Irish) Division in France on the 22nd of February 1916. Later that year they were in action on the Somme during the The Battle of Guillemont in which the Division captured the village and The Battle of Ginchy. In 1917 they fought at the The Battle of Messines and The Battle of Langemark, during the Third Battles of Ypres. In 1918 they were in action on the Somme 1918 suffering very heavy casualties. On the 18th of June 1918 the Division returned England and was reconstituted loosing almost all of its remaining Irish units at this point. The reformed Division returned to France on the 1st of August 1918 and fought in The Final Advance in Artois.
In early 1917, the division took a major part in the Battle of Messines alongside the 36th (Ulster) Division, adding to both their recognition and reputation. Their major actions ended in the summer of 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele after coming under the command of General Hubert Gough and the Fifth Army. In July 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, although both divisions were totally exhausted after 13 days of moving weighty equipment under heavy shelling, Gough ordered the battalions to advance through deep mud towards well fortified German positions left untouched by totally inadequate artillery preparation.[6] By mid August, the 16th had suffered over 4,200 casualties, the 36th almost 3,600, or more than 50% of their numbers. General Haig was very critical of Gough for "playing the Irish card"
I am looking for information or a photo of the following officer who fell in the Great War for a book that I am writing.
Cheers
Andy
Philip Henry Burt Fitch
Medals: Military Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham from 1911 to 1915
Commissioned as 2nd Lieut., RFA (TF) in the 3/3rd South Midland Bde, RFA (TF) on 23 Dec 15
Posted to D Battery, 77th Brigade, RFA on 7 Dec 16
77th Bde and 177th Bde, RFA were both part of the 16th (Irish) Divisional Artillery and Fitch probably transferred to D/177th Bde, RFA on 22 Feb 1917 when 77th Bde became an Army Brigade and its D (H) Bty was broken up to bring D/177 and D/180 up to six gun batteries.
MC for action in June 1917, annotated award: Arras and Vimy Ridge. Early Ypres. Messines Ridge.
Citation: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in accompanying another officer and a serjeant into a gun emplacement in which a serious explosion had taken place, bringing out the killed and wounded and extinguishing a fire caused by the explosion amongst the ammunition."
Killed while engaged in night-firing by a shell from a field gun on 23 July 1917.
Sources: Service Record of King Edward’s School, Birmingham 1914-1919; War Diary of 77th Brigade, RFA; Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3A; various Army Lists.
Wiki says:
16th Irish Division was established by the Irish Command in September 1914, as part of Kitchener's Second New Army. They moved to England and into barracks in Aldershot by the end of the month. Some units were transferred to the 37th and Guards Divisions when they were formed in 1915, amongst them the Divisional Ammunition Column, being renamed accordingly. A new 16th Divisional Ammunition Column joined 16th (Irish) Division in France on the 22nd of February 1916. Later that year they were in action on the Somme during the The Battle of Guillemont in which the Division captured the village and The Battle of Ginchy. In 1917 they fought at the The Battle of Messines and The Battle of Langemark, during the Third Battles of Ypres. In 1918 they were in action on the Somme 1918 suffering very heavy casualties. On the 18th of June 1918 the Division returned England and was reconstituted loosing almost all of its remaining Irish units at this point. The reformed Division returned to France on the 1st of August 1918 and fought in The Final Advance in Artois.
In early 1917, the division took a major part in the Battle of Messines alongside the 36th (Ulster) Division, adding to both their recognition and reputation. Their major actions ended in the summer of 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele after coming under the command of General Hubert Gough and the Fifth Army. In July 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, although both divisions were totally exhausted after 13 days of moving weighty equipment under heavy shelling, Gough ordered the battalions to advance through deep mud towards well fortified German positions left untouched by totally inadequate artillery preparation.[6] By mid August, the 16th had suffered over 4,200 casualties, the 36th almost 3,600, or more than 50% of their numbers. General Haig was very critical of Gough for "playing the Irish card"
