BACKGROUND

Michael Fitzgerald was born in Kangaroo Valley in 1890, son of Gerald & Bridget Fitzgerald. According to NSWBDM he was one of 10 children but his brother Edward is not listed so there had to be more. Edward enlisted in 1917

ATTESTATION

Michael travelled to Brisbane on the 14^th June 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as farrier. A farrier is a specialist in farriery: equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves when necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adjusting metal shoes) with some veterinarian's skills (knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the lower limb) to care for horses' feet.

His next of kin was his father, Mr J Fitzgerald, of Uki. He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Michael Fitzgerald, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

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MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Michael was 27 years 7 months old when he enlisted. He was 5 ft 10 ¼ inches tall (1.78m) and weighed 153lbs (69kgs). He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and sandy coloured hair. His eyesight was good. He had scars on his right arm and one on his forearm. He was Roman Catholic

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. Michael was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 13^th August 1915. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private with the 11^th reinforcement, 9^th Battalion with service number 2377

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the recruits had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training could take several months

INNOCULATIONS

All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.

THE UNIFORM

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.

SOLDIER’S KIT

Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.

·      Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.

·      Braces: worn with breeches.

·      Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.

·      Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.

·      Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.

·      Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.

·      Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.

·      Jersey

·      Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.

·      Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.

·      Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.

·      Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.

·      Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.

·      Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.

·      Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.

·      Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.

·      They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.

·      No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO EGYPT

On the 18^th August 1915 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on the 20^th August 1915, they embarked on the HMAT Shropshire A9. Alongside his comrades, Michael marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

DAILY ROUTINE

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

MEALS

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

HEALTH & SANITATION

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.

APPROACHING EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead. Michael would almost certainly have travelled by train from Alexandria to the Australian camps around Heliopolis and Zeitoun, on the outskirts of Cairo. There, the reinforcements continued the training they had begun in Australia. When the train finally rattled into the siding near the camp, the soldiers found themselves staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs.

During an interim period, soldiers typically:

·      Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.

·      Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.

·      Received equipment and uniforms: Egypt's heat made the heavy wool uniforms uncomfortable. As a result, lighter clothing was often issued or obtained locally. Soldiers frequently wore:

ü Khaki cotton shirts without the tunic

ü Lightweight drill uniforms made from cotton

ü Shorts on some occasions, particularly in camp

ü Pith helmets or sun helmets for fatigue duties and work in the sun, although the slouch hat remained the iconic Australian headgear

·      Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.

·      Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open. Then formal training began

Life at the camp was nothing like the camp back home. Here, the desert heat was intense even in the early hours, and the days began with the bugler’s call well before sunrise. The men formed up on the sandy parade ground, rifles over their shoulders, boots sinking into the powdery surface as they marched in formation. Drill sessions were longer and harder than anything they had experienced in Australia — endless turns, wheeling movements, and column changes designed to make the battalion move as a single, disciplined unit.

Weapons training was constant. Each man practised rapid loading and firing with his Lee–Enfield until the action felt like second nature. Bayonet drills took on a fierce intensity: lunging, parrying, and withdrawing in perfect rhythm under the watchful eye of the instructors. There was musketry practice at the range, too, where the sound of rifle fire cracked sharply across the desert, the targets standing out as black specks against the glaring sand.

Route marches tested endurance. Fully equipped with packs, rifles, and webbing, the men marched for miles through the heat haze, learning to pace themselves and conserve water. Sand found its way into every seam of clothing, into boots and rifles, and the men soon understood that maintaining their kit — keeping it clean and in working order — could mean the difference between life and death.

There was also instruction in trench construction and maintenance. Under the relentless sun, the recruits helped dig and reinforce shallow practice trenches, learning how to build firing steps, drainage channels, and parapets. Though the work was exhausting, it gave the men an idea of the conditions they would soon face on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Evenings brought some relief. After the day’s training, Michael and his mates might head into Cairo, where the narrow lanes bustled with traders calling their wares and the air was rich with the smell of cooking fires, sweet pastries, and tobacco smoke. The muezzin’s call to prayer echoed over the rooftops, mingling with the laughter of soldiers from across the Empire. On rest days, they visited the Pyramids and posed for photographs, the Sphinx silent and inscrutable behind them.

Yet even in those moments of wonder, the reality of war was never far away. Each man knew their time was coming when they had to face the brutal realities of desert warfare

HOSPITALISED MUMPS OCTOBER 1915

The camps were crowded with thousands of Australian and New Zealand soldiers, and infectious diseases spread quickly. Mumps (parotitis) was one of the most common illnesses because men lived, ate and trained in such close quarters.

When Michael developed mumps at the end of October 1915, he was admitted to the Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Heliopolis. Treatment was largely supportive, as there were no specific medicines. He would have been confined to bed, given soft foods because chewing was painful, and closely watched for complications. Most soldiers recovered within a week or two, although they remained isolated until they were no longer infectious.

GALLIPOLI NOVEMBER 1915

On 7 November, having recovered sufficiently, Michael returned to the reinforcement camp at Zeitoun to complete his preparations for active service. The very next day he embarked aboard the troopship Royal George, bound for the Gallipoli Peninsula. By the time Michael reached Gallipoli, the campaign had entered its final months. The Allied armies were no longer attempting major offensives. Instead, they occupied the trenches, maintained constant vigilance against Turkish attacks, and secretly prepared plans for evacuation.

Michael would have spent his time strengthening trenches, repairing parapets damaged by shellfire, carrying water, ammunition and rations to the front line, standing sentry, and learning the realities of trench warfare under enemy observation. Conditions were harsh, with cold weather replacing the summer heat, while rain and winter storms made life increasingly miserable.

Fortunately for Michael, he survived this dangerous period. During the remarkably successful evacuation of Gallipoli in December 1915, the Australian troops withdrew without alerting the Turkish defenders. Michael embarked aboard HMT Grampian at Mudros and returned safely to Alexandria, arriving on 4 January 1916.

The Australians' stay in Egypt after Gallipoli was brief. Following a period of reorganisation, the AIF expanded from two infantry divisions to five. Experienced men and reinforcements like Michael helped build these new formations before the force was transferred to France.

TRAINING FOR THE WESTERN FRONT

The men would now enter the Egyptian training camps and learn how to fight on the Western Front. They needed a completely new set of skills.

On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.

Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. They learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. They practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.

Bombing instruction was another important part of the syllabus. Recruits learned how to throw and handle grenades safely, a skill that had become essential on the Western Front. They were also taught how to react during enemy bombardments, how to seek cover and how to move forward under artillery fire.

Field exercises frequently involved entire companies and battalions. During these manoeuvres, the recruits practised attacks on mock enemy positions, advancing behind simulated artillery barrages and coordinating movements with neighbouring units. Such exercises often lasted for many hours and could continue regardless of rain, cold or mud. The instructors were determined that recruits experience something of the hardships they would face in France. Route marches formed a regular feature of camp life

FRANCE MARCH 1916

On 27 March 1916, Michael embarked from Alexandria aboard HMT Saxonia, arriving at Marseilles on 3 April. Ahead lay an entirely different war on the Western Front, where the trenches stretched for hundreds of kilometres and the battles would be fought on a scale far greater than anything experienced at Gallipoli. On arrival the men would have stepped onto French soil for the first time. Rather than proceeding directly to the front, they were sent to the Australian Base Depot, where reinforcements were organised, equipped and held until required by their units. Here the men exchanged some of their Egyptian-issued equipment for stores more suited to service on the Western Front and completed further medical inspections

From the Base Depot, the men would have travelled by troop train through the French countryside towards the rear areas behind the front line. The trains were often slow, crowded and uncomfortable, but they provided many soldiers with their first glimpse of war-torn France. Villages showed signs of shell damage, roads were busy with military traffic, and columns of troops, horses and artillery moved constantly towards the front.

APRIL TO JULY 1916

After completing this final preparation, Michael joined the 9th Battalion, which by April 1916 was holding sections of the front near Armentières in northern France. The Australians regarded this comparatively quiet sector as a valuable apprenticeship, allowing newly arrived soldiers to gain experience before the major offensives expected later in the year. Even in this so-called "nursery sector", however, there was little peace. Every day involved repairing trenches damaged by enemy shellfire, strengthening parapets, draining waterlogged dugouts, carrying ammunition, food and engineering supplies forward under cover of darkness, and standing long hours on sentry duty while constantly watching the German lines only a short distance away.

The battalion also carried out frequent patrols into No Man's Land after dark. These dangerous missions gathered intelligence, repaired or cut gaps in barbed wire, identified enemy positions and sometimes captured prisoners for questioning. German patrols were doing exactly the same thing, and sudden encounters often led to fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the darkness. Both sides regularly exchanged artillery fire, rifle grenades, trench mortars and sniper shots, making casualties an almost daily occurrence even when no major offensive was underway.

As spring gave way to early summer, preparations began for the great Allied offensive along the Somme River. The Australian divisions gradually left the Armentières sector and moved south during June and early July. Michael and his comrades endured long marches, crowded billets and endless movement along dusty roads as they approached the Somme battlefield. Everywhere they saw evidence of the immense concentration of men, horses, guns and ammunition being assembled for what was expected to be the decisive offensive of 1916.

The Battle of the Somme had opened on 1 July 1916 with devastating losses for the British Army. During the following weeks the Australian divisions were drawn into the fighting to help continue the offensive. On 23 July 1916 the 9th Battalion took part in the attack on the village of Pozières, one of the most fiercely defended positions on the German front. The objective was to seize the village and the heavily fortified ridge beyond, which dominated the surrounding countryside. The assault began before dawn after an intense artillery bombardment. Although the Australians captured much of the village after bitter fighting, they advanced through heavy machine-gun fire, relentless shelling and fierce resistance from determined German defenders. The battlefield was a scene of almost unimaginable destruction, with shattered buildings, shell holes, broken trees and thick clouds of dust and smoke obscuring the ground.

KILLED IN ACTION THE BATTLE OF POZIERES JULY 1916

It was during this desperate fighting on 23 July 1916 that Michael Fitzgerald was killed in action. Like so many of his comrades, he gave his life during the opening stages of the struggle for Pozières, a battle that would become one of the defining actions in Australian military history. The capture of the village came at an enormous cost, and the battlefield remained under continuous German artillery bombardment for weeks afterwards. Michael's sacrifice formed part of the price paid by the 9th Battalion and the 1st Australian Division in securing one of the most hard-fought victories of the Somme campaign.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Michael was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Number 55 among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War

NO KNOWN GRAVE

Michael is listed on the and his name is recorded on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial. The Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux is the repository of the names of more than 10,000 Australians who died in France during the First World War but have no known grave. The Memorial is situated a few kilometres north of Villers-Bretonneux on the D23.

The Memorial was completed in 1938 after a somewhat controversial lead up brought about by a shortage of funds during the Great Depression. The British and other Commonwealth Memorials had been completed well in advance of the Australian Memorial.

The Memorial consists of a large central tower with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, flanked by two wing walls carrying the commemorative panels listing the missing.

It is approached from the entrance through a cemetery containing the graves of casualties from around the Commonwealth and of both World Wars.

MEMORIAL SCROLL & MEMORIAL PLAQUE

His father received his Memorial Scroll on the 12^th September 1921 and his Memorial Plaque on the 20^th January 1922

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