Joseph Fitzsimons

Letters By Author

Biography

Joseph Fitzsimons (1894 - n.d.)

Date of letters

19 November 1915 - 9 August 1919

Number of letters

31

Regiments

41st Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps 19 November 1915 - 16 December 1918
43rd Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps 28 March 1919 - 16 August 1919

Rank

Private

Regimental number
59670


Joseph (Joe) Fitzsimons was born on 19 November 1894 in the Ballycastle district to parents Mary Finnegan and John Fitzsimons, a clerk. The family moved to Belfast sometime between his birth and 1901 residing in Bantry Street, near the Springfield Road. They continued to live in the surrounding area, in Kashmir Road, Waterville Street and for the duration of Fitzsimons’ war service in Clonard Gardens. He joined the staff of Belfast Public Libraries on 19 April 1912 as an Assistant Librarian in the Lending Department.

On 7 June 1915 Fitzsimons joined the 41st Casualty Clearing Station in Limerick. A problem with his eyesight prevented him from joining the ‘combatant corps’. He left for France at the end of November 1915 as a ‘1st Class Nursing Orderly’, turning down a position of Corporal to remain working with friends. His highly descriptive letters bring to life the workings of a Casualty Clearing Station- its day-to-day operations and the bravery and horrors he witnessed in his role as a Nursing Orderly.

He returned home after demobilisation in June 1919 and resumed work in the library service on 18 August 1919. He remained in the library service and was appointed Branch Librarian of Falls Road Branch in 1931 until the 1960s.


Belfast Central Library. © National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Ulster Museum.


Author Letters

For Author Joseph Fitzsimons we have found 31 correspondence(s).

Reference Date of Letter Type Summary View Letter 
FIT-001 19 November 1915 Letter Elliott to Fitzsimons. Army life, staff at war. View
FIT-002 01 December 1915 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. Aldershot. Leaving for France, casualty clearing station, turns down promotion.  View
FIT-003 12 December 1915 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. France. Camp, Y.M.C.A. View
FIT-004 14 January 1916 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. France. Camp. View
FIT-005 26 January 1916 Letter Elliott To Fitzsimons. Lectures, Eagleson.  View
FIT-006 01 March 1916 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. France. Casualty clearing station work, other staff at war.  View
FIT-007 01 March 1916 Postcard Field Service Postcard from Fitzsimons to Elliott. School- Location censored.  View
FIT-008 25 March 1916 Letter Elliott to Fitzsimons. Clearing station at factory and school, other staff at war. View
FIT-009 03 April 1916 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. France. Wages.  View
FIT-010 05 July 1916 Postcard Field Service Postcard from Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. Location censored. German POW. View
FIT-011 25 July 1916 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. France. 'Great offensive' casualties, Ulster Division, Robert Rainey. View
FIT-012 31 July 1916 Letter Elliott to Fitzsimons. Read letter to staff, experiences. View
FIT-013 13 October 1916 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. France. Casualty clearing station, roads, French countryside, star shells.  View
FIT-014 18 December 1916 Letter Fitzsimons to Elliott. France. Christmas wishes, Serious Surgical Ward.  View
FIT-015 22 January 1917 Letter Elliott to Fitzsimons. Bravery and bright presence, other staff at war, library staff.  View
FIT-016 03 February 1917 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Elliott's death, Belfast food production, French farmers, war effort.  View
FIT-017 11 April 1917 Letter Goldsbrough to Fitzsimons. Separation allowance. View
FIT-018 16 April 1917 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Separation allowance, German prisoners. View
FIT-019 10 July 1917 Letter Goldsbrough to Fitzsimons. Miss Miller, other staff at war.  View
FIT-020 09 August 1917 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Staff at war, 'big attack', casualties. View
FIT-021 27 September 1917 Letter Goldsbrough to Fitzsimons. Hospitals bombed, Miss Miller, other staff at war. View
FIT-022 14 November 1917 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Home, career after the war, wages, war effort.  View
FIT-023 10 January 1918 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. *Typo-should be 1919*. Camp, demobilisation, New Year. View
FIT-024 21 January 1918 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Station, weather, O'Rourke. View
FIT-025 06 June 1918 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Close to the firing line, Brown. View
FIT-026 16 December 1918 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. Le Cateau, France. French civilians and soldiers. View
FIT-027 16 January 1919 Form Application for Release from The Colours View
FIT-028 28 March 1919 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Demobilisation, flu. View
FIT-029 06 May 1919 Letter Goldsbrough to Fitzsimons. Demobilisation, other staff at war. View
FIT-030 06 June 1919 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. France. Demobilisation, Bapaume, landscape, poppies.  View
FIT-031 09 August 1919 Letter Fitzsimons to Goldsbrough. Glenariff, Co. Antrim. Demobilization, home.  View