Description
A Great War Officer Casualty Memorial Scroll awarded to Lieutenant Maurice Alexander Ross Geraldine Fitzmaurice, 21st Field Company 3rd Sappers and Miners, Lahore Division, Royal Engineers who was severely wounded at Neuve Chapelle in October 1914 and was shot and killed whilst supervising the construction of loopholes on the 6th of August 1915, comprising Memorial Scroll, Lt. Maurice Alexander R. Fitz Maurice Royal Engineers) framed and glazed in ornate frame, with original King’s Letter that accompanied the Scroll and an original obituary both attached to back of frame.
Maurice Alexander Ross Geraldine Fitzmaurice was born on the 9th of June 1892 the son of the late John Day Stokes Fitzmaurice, Judge of the Dharwar, Bombay Presidency Indian Civil Service and his wife Emily Grace Ellen. Educated South Lodge Lowestoft and Felstead School Essex, the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant R.E. 23rd of December 1911, joined the School of Military Engineering, Chatham, the on the 1st of April 1912, and on passing out in December 1913 elected to go to India. He was promoted Lieutenant 31st of January 1914 and was attached to the 3rd Sappers and Miners, Kirkee in March 1914. When War broke out, he was employed as Garrison Engineer at Bareilly, and was recalled to the 3rd Sappers and Miners Lahore Division joining the 21st Field Company. He went to France with the Indian Expeditionary Force in September 1914; was severely wounded in the fighting at Neuve Chapelle on the 28th of October 1914 and was invalided home, the 20th and 21st Field Companies 3rd sappers and Miners being specially mentioned in the Despatch of the 20th of November 1914. He returned to the Front on the 19th of February 1915; took part in the storming of Neuve Chapelle Village on the 10th to 15th of March and was with the Lahore Division in the fighting for Ypres at the end of April 191, being for a time in command of his company, all the other officers being wounded. He was killed when on night duty at an out-post near Neuve Chapelle on the 6th of August 1915. He was mentioned in Field Marshall Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of the 14th of January 1915 for gallant and distinguished service in the field. His Commanding Officer, Colonel Coffin RE said of him; “His loss to us is very great; always devoted to his work and cheery, he was a great favourite with all with whom he came into contact.” Hi Company Commander, Captain Rawlence RE also wrote; “His loss will be deeply felt in the Company in which he has always set such an example of hard work and cheery endurance. He was shot between the shoulders whilst supervising the construction of loopholes in a post just behind the firing line at 2am on the 6th of August. He was buried in the Cemetery at Vielle Chapelle, side by side with Captain Glenday RE of the same Company who was killed two nights later at the same spot.
He was reinterred at Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery in 1924, the body being identified by wooden cross and clothing.
He was entitled to a 1914 Star and clasp trio with a Mentioned in dispatches emblem.
Sold with a file of research.
