1st Bn The Royal Rifles of Canada
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Corporal | John | Joseph |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Quebec QC | Eastern Quebec | 1923-01-06 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| Section Commander | D | 18 Plt |
Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong
Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.
All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.
Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.
On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.
Battle Information
Killed in action by shell fire at Stone Hill/Stanley Mound. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).
Wounded Information
No wounds recorded.Decorations Received
| Image | Name of Award | Abbreviation | References | Precedence | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mentioned-in-Despatches | MiD | 37, 38, 123 | 13 | Citation not found |
Other Military Service
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Death and Cemetery Information
| Date of Death (y-m-d) | Cause of Death | Death Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941-12-22 | Killed by a shell | Killed In Action | |
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Cape Collinson Road Chai Wan Hong Kong China | Sai Wan Memorial | Column 23. | NA |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
The SAI WAN MEMORIAL honours over 2000 men of the land forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire who died in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War. The SAI WAN MEMORIAL is in the form of a shelter building 24 metres long and 5.5 metres wide. It stands at the entrance to Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery, outside Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong. From the semi-circular forecourt, two wide openings lead to the interior of the building. The names are inscribed on panels of Portland stone. The dedicatory inscription reads:
1939 - 1945 The officers and men whose memory is honoured here died in the defence of Hong Kong in December 1941 and in the ensuing years of captivity and have no known grave.
The northern side of the Memorial is open and four granite piers support the copper roof. From a commanding position 305 metres above sea level, it looks out over the War Cemetery where some 1,500 men lie buried, and across the water to Mainland China - a magnificent view of sea and mountains.
Links and Other Resources
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→ Related documentation for information published in this report, such as birth information, discharge papers, press clippings and census documents may be available via shared resources in our HKVCA Vault. It is organized with folders named using regimental numbers. Use the first letter of the individual's service number to choose the correct folder, then scroll to the specific sub-folder displaying the service number of your interest.
General Comments
E21822 John FITZPATRICK brother to E30684 Charles FITZPATRICK
TRIBUTE TO JOE FITZPATRICK
By Desmond Lonergan (Reproduced from the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph)
You all remember Joe, with his rounded, boyish features and his innocent, dreamy eyes. Like all boy he loved sports yet unlike many of them, he excelled in most, especially rugby and boxing. Like Tom Playfair, he liked his candy, and this was only one of the many ways in which Joe peculiarly and strangely resembled Tom; fudge was an important item in Mother's parcels to Hong Kong. What memories and thoughts accompanied those packages and how Mother longed for the days when Joe would be back, clamoring for peanut-butter, doughnuts, and holding his fork the way he shouldn't. He wasn't beyond "pinching" the odd pumpkin on Berthelot Market, for Joe loved his pumpkin pie, but he also had a proper regard for spiritual values as his own choice of pictures on the walls of his room testifies to; there you'll see Our Lady, Saint Patrick, and "The Last Supper."
So you see, Joe was just another healthy, lovable little lad, in his likes and wants and ways. Joe was one of our boys - one of ourselves; Joe was you and I, and never forget it, - Joe was on our side naturally, when he was killed. I would like to emphasize that point, so that when you think of this "Cross War" you'll remember that you're fighting, on Joe's side - for Joe, for you.
Joe had great plans on what he would do when he grew up. Foremost in his thoughts was a countryhome and a dress for his Mother: the dress had as much value in Joe's eyes as the house, for it was the "dress" that all little boys desire for their Mother.
End of Report.
Report generated: 23 Nov 2024.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
- 'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
- Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
- Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
- In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
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