Private Charles Fitzgibbon

Charles Fitzgibbon was born at Merino, Victoria, on 14 October 1891 to Edward Fitzgibbon and Christina Joanna (née McLachlan). Edward Fitzgibbon died the year after Charles’ birth, leaving Christina with ten children. Charles’s brother, Edward Fitzgibbon, enlisted in 1914 at Hamilton, Victoria, while Charles worked as a labourer.

Charles Fitzgibbon enlisted as a private at Hamilton, in 1916 at 24 years old. He was seen off at Hamilton station by a group of his friends, who presented him with a pair of field glasses as a gift. Charles Fitzgibbon sought to support his widowed mother from his service pay. He joined the 8th Battalion, 19th Reinforcements, and embarked on HMAT Themistocles at Melbourne on 28 July 1916. During the voyage from Melbourne, the soldiers put on a concert on 26 August 1916. Charles Fitzgibbon performed a duet titled “So Long Letty” with Private Pitman, in addition to a solo performance.

Charles Fitzgibbon trained in England before serving across France. In October 1917 he arrived in Le Havre, France, but was discharged due to a medical condition and returned to Australia on 12 December 1918 on HMAT Nestor. Fitzgibbon was awarded a Victory Medal and a British War Medal for his service.

After the war, Charles Fitzgibbon returned to Victoria as a labourer, and married Isabella Jane Thom in 1920. By 1924, Fitzgibbon was working as a railway employee where he worked well into his 60s. Charles Fitzgibbon died in 1961 at St Albans in Victoria at the age of 70, after being married for 41 years. Charles Fitzgibbon and his brother Edward Fitzgibbon who served in Gallipoli are honoured on a war memorial in Hamilton.