Fitzsimmons, Sydney

1440 Private Sydney Fitzsimmons - 11th Battalion AIF

Sydney was born on the 30th April 1893 in Fremantle to Patrick and Caroline Fitzsimmons, being one of eight siblings.

Soon after his birth the family moved from Fremantle to Leederville. After finishing his education in Leederville he left school to become a labourer.

On the 28th September 1914 Sydney enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 10 inches tall;

Weight - 167lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment Sydney was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. He was initially assigned to the 11th Battalion but was then pulled out and sent to the Depot Training Company. On the 1st January 1915 he was assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 11th battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next few weeks.

On the 22nd February 1915 Sydney and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Itonus. The ship then set sail for Egypt. 

The ship reached Egypt in March 1915 though Sydney and his group did not have long there but were sent to join the 11th Battalion who were currently at Lemnos Island off the Turkish coast. It appears that Sydney was taken on strength of the 11th Battalion prior to the Anzac Landing.

The 3rd Brigade, which included the 11th Battalion, had been chosen to make the initial Australian landing at Gallipoli. The 11th Battalion landed in the early hours of April 25th 1915, just north of Anzac Cove at North Beach and the men made their way inland.

Sydney's records are not complete but it appears that he survived the first two weeks of action but was then evacuated to Egypt suffering badly from pneumonia. He spent a month in hospital in Alexandria after which he was released and sent to base camp. He was then sent back to Gallipoli and rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 25th June 1915.

He served for the next month but on the 26th July was evacuated suffering badly from enteritis. He was sent by hospital ship back to Egypt where he was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis. He recovered quite well and on the 12th August was transferred to the Australian Convalescent Hospital. He remained there till the 31st August 1915 when he was discharged for duty.

It appears Sydney remained in Egypt through to July 1916 as due to his health he wasn't yet able to rejoin his unit. On the 29th July he left Egypt on a troopship and proceeded to England where he joined the 3rd Training Battalion at Perham Downs.

He spent another few weeks here and on the 29th August 1916 was sent to France. He spent a few weeks in the 1st Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples and then joined the 11th Battalion in Belgium on the 12th September 1916.

Sydney served with them in Belgium for a few weeks and then the 11th Battalion were sent to the Somme battlefield. They went into the line near Flers in horribly muddy and cold conditions. This had an adverse affect on Sydney's health and on the 10th November 1916 Sydney was evacuated, suffering from trench feet.

It appears that the foot had turned septic and he spent a week at the 12th General Hospital at Rouen. Sydney was then shipped to England and was admitted to the 4th Southern General Hospital. He spent several weeks in hospital here before he was discharged on the 5th January 1917.

Sydney was then sent to No.2 Command Camp at Weymouth and remained there till the 18th February 1917 when he was returned to France. Sydney was taken back on strength of the 11th battalion on the 11th March 1917. The 11th Battalion were then in the process of following up the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. 

On the 15th April 1917 the 11th battalion fought a major action at Lagnicourt. One report states that Sydney was wounded while another states he was evacuated with a recurrence of trench feet after this battle. Sydney spent twelve days at the 12th General Hospital at Rouen and was then shipped to England.

On arrival in England Sydney was sent to the 5th Southern General Hospital. He remained hospitalised there till the 12th June 1917. He was then sent to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He spent a week there and on the 19th June was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.

The medical authorities had now recommended that Sydney be returned home. On the 27th August 1917 Sydney boarded the New Zealand hospital transport ship Pakeha and set sail for Australia. The ship arrived at Fremantle on the 14th October 1917.

After being disembarked Sydney was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace for a medical check. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 30th November 1917.

Sydney was then granted a military pension of 60/- per fortnight.

In 1919 Sydney was married to Gladys Ivy Myrtle Bolt and they would have the following children, Robert born 1919, Sydney 1920, Lillian 1922, Patrick 1927,  Michael 1932 and Max 1933.

By 1925 the family were living out near Mt Marshall near Bencubbin as Sydney was working as a farmer. However by the 1930's they had returned to Perth as in 1936 they were living in Balcatta and Sydney was working as a motor driver.

His wife Gladys died on the 30th December 1945.

Sydney then re-married in 1947 to Mavis Stewart.

Sydney Fitzsimmons died on the 15th January 1968 aged 75. He was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery plot Roman Catholic HA 0908.