Remembering World War I Yarmouth Connections

Joseph Freeman Fitzgerald

Name: Service No Rank Battalion/Service Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment: Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Hair Colour: Eye Colour: Martial Status: Religion: Trade: Next of Kin: Discharged: Date of Death: Cemetery:

Joseph Freeman Fitzgerald 2329803 Private Forestry Corps March 21, 1899 Comeau's Hill, Yarmouth Co., NS April 21, 1917 Yarmouth NS East Quinnan, Yarmouth Co., NS 18 5 feet, 8 inches dark hazel dark Single Roman Catholic Farmer Elizabeth Fitzgerald (Mother) East Quinnan, Yarmouth Co., NS July 17, 1919 (Halifax on demobilization) January 31 1967 Saint Joseph's Island Cemetery, Surette’s Island, Yarmouth Co., NS Joseph Freeman Fitzgerald was the son of George Fitzgerald (1860–1909) and Elizabeth (Muise) Fitzgerald (1895-1961) of Comeau’s Hill, Yarmouth Co., NS. After the death of his father, the family moved to Wedgeport and then to Quinnan, Yarmouth Co., NS. Having enlisted in Yarmouth, NS on April 21, 1917 with the NS Forestry Corps he embarked Halifax on June 28, 1917 and disembarked at Liverpool, England on July 7, 1917 sailing on the SS Justicia. He was taken on strength at the Base Depot of the Canadian Forestry Corps at Sunningdale on July 7, 1917 and posted to No. 71 Company, CFC in France, landing there on August 12, 1917. On July 12, 1918 he was transferred to No 73 Company. He was granted ten days leave in France on September 15, 1918 and returned to his Company on September 15, 1918. Private Fitzgerald returned to England from France in January, 1919. He was hospitalized for influenza and pneumonia in February of 1919 at Eastbourne, England listed as dangerously ill; however, he recovered and was transferred to hospital at Bexhill and discharged in April, 1919. He returned to Canada embarking Southampton and arriving in Halifax in July, 1919, He was discharged at Halifax on July 17, 1919. He married Rosalie Virgine Muise (1898-1986) on September 2, 1919. During WWII, Joseph enlisted with the Veterans Guard of Canada. The Veterans Guard of Canada was initially formed in the early days of the Second World War as a defence force in case of an attack on Canadian soil. Composed largely of First World War veterans it included, at its peak, 37 Active and Reserve companies with 451 officers and 9,806 other ranks. Over 17,000 veterans served in the force over the course of the war.

Library and Archives Canada findagrave.com

Joseph Fitzgerald (WWII) photo: courtesy Diane Jacquard

Joseph Fitzgerald “x” (WWII) photo: courtesy Pat Muise