Patrick Fisher was killed in action on 28 September 1944. He was 25 years of age and was a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment (Service No. 5829866). He was initially buried on Premises D 86c Klotterpeel, Bakel-Milheeze which is just south of De Rips and north of Milheeze and later re-interred on 20 May 1947 in Grave II.E.14 in the Overloon War Graves Cemetery. His inscription reads “Our thoughts in silence fly to the days you were with us for memories do not die.”

No photo of Patrick Fisher has yet been found. Should anyone reading this have a photo of him or further information regarding him – or if they are aware of any errors in his biography below can they please contact the Foundation?

Military career

The 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment was stationed in Devonport as part of the 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and served with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France from late 1939 to May 1940. With the rest of the BEF, it was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940.
 
The next four years were spent training in the United Kingdom for the invasion of Normandy in 1944, otherwise known as D-Day on 6 June. The 1st Battalion landed on Sword beach and was involved in attacking and taking the Hillman Fortress on D-Day itself. They continued to progress through France, including severe
battles which cost many lives at Chateau de la Londe and at Tinchebray. Private Paddy Fisher is briefly mentioned in Mark Forsdike’s book “Fighting Through to Hitler’s Germany“ while at the Chateau de Londe in late June which at least indicates his presence there.
 
On 13 August he was wounded during the Battle at Tinchebray. The 1st Suffolks played their part in this joint attack with the Americans which started on 11 August 1944, though their role only began in earnest at midnight on the 12th. They met with strong opposition in places and the attack was hampered by the loss of many of the Brigade’s leading officers who were injured when a shell landed close to a planning meeting at Brigade HQ. On the 12th and 13th, the Battalion suffered many casualties before meeting their objective.
 
The Battalion progressed through Belgium before arriving in the Netherlands on 21 September, entering Weert on the 22nd where they were welcomed by the local population. Mark Forsdike says: “The whole town now came alive. From the streets and houses people emerged. Girls dressed in skirts of red, white and blue and the national colour of orange emerged to hug and kiss their liberators.” They remained in Weert until 27 September – patrolling along a canal to assess the strength of the enemy and attempting to deal with those they found.
 
They moved to the edge of a small wood south of the village of De Rips. German troops were believed to be in the village. Two attempts were made to send out a fighting patrol towards a small dyke in front of the village but both encountered difficulties. A platoon went over the canal on a little hump backed bridge in single file. Beyond it was scrubland with small bushes about 4 or 5ft high. They began to be picked off by a rifleman. Lieutenant Cray indicated that they were to withdraw. Private Ken Wright got one wounded man on his back but then thought he had died and so put him down and went back for another whom he helped across the canal, going through the water rather than risking the bridge. The two men lay down by Paddy Fisher. Lieutenant Cray came back across the bridge instead of through the water and then returned the same way to find the man whom Private Wright had left behind. He couldn’t find him, but came back across the bridge, not even bent down. There was a rifle shot, and he went down. Private Wright ran across to the bridge and dragged him off to the first aid post.
 
When Private Wright went back to the side of Paddy Fisher, he heard a Forward Observation Officer of the artillery shouting for an artillery barrage. The first shell that came over fell short and killed Paddy Fisher.

Family background

Patrick was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Dennies Fisher and the husband of Marjory Annie Fisher, of Alderton, Suffolk. A military record suggests he was born in the south of Ireland.
 
In September 1939 Patrick Fisher, born 5/8/1919, was working as a Cowman and living at 42 Bawdsey Road, Alderton, Deben District, Suffolk in the household of John and Winifred D Garnham. John was born on 22/4/1907 and was a Stockman on a farm. Winifred was born on 8/5/1906. They seem to have had three children with them, though their names were not disclosed.
 
Patrick married Marjory A Cowling in Deben District in 1940. However, he is shown there as Frederick P Fisher.
 
Marjory was the daughter of James Frederick Cowling and Annie Gibson who had married in Woodbridge District in October 1919. Annie was living in Alderton at the time and James in Horsford, Norwich.
 
In 1901, James F Cowling was living at Dog Street, Horsford, St Faiths, Norfolk. He was born on 16 June 1892 in St Faith’s, Norfolk and was living in the household of Albert and Edith Howe. He was described as Albert’s son. Albert Howe had married Edith Catherine Cowling in 1895 in St Faith’s, Norfolk. Albert was born in 1868 in Horsford and was a Bricklayer while Edith was born in 1870 in Drayton, Norfolk. In the household were two older children called Cowling, of whom James was the elder and four younger children called Howe, so it seems that the two older children were born before Albert and Edith married. The four youngest were born in Horsford.
 
James F Cowling (Service Number K7419) signed up in the Royal Navy on 19/7/1910. He signed up for 12 Years. He was initially a Stoker Class II and was promoted to Stoker Class I on 4/8/1911. Between various periods at HMS Pembroke II and I (which was the name for Chatham shore establishment) he served on HMS Antrim from 17/2/1911 to 4/8/1911, then HMS Diamond to 21/10/1911. He was on HMS Forte from 9/12/1911 to 4/6/1913, though with two brief periods of leave. He was an HMS Forward from 16/7/1913 to 20/4/1915 and again from 25/5/1915 to 14/8/1916. He served on HMS Blenheim (Colne) from 15/8/1916 to 31/3/1918 followed by HMS Egmont (Colne) from 1/4/1918 to 13/11/1918. Thereafter until when he was discharged on 18/7/1922 he seems to have been based at various shore establishments.
 
It isn’t known how he met Annie Gibson, but in the second half of 1919 he was based at HMS Tyne (Northolt).
 
Annie Gibson was born on 13/1/1895 to William and Alice Gibson in Alderton, Suffolk. In 1911 she was living with her parents in Alderton. William was a labourer on a farm. Ten of their children aged from 6 to 31 were present, all born in Alderton. A grandchild aged 1 was also present. The three eldest boys were Labourers on a farm and the two eldest girls, one of whom was Annie, were Domestic Helps.
 
James and Annie Cowling had seven children, all born in Woodbridge district, of whom Marjorie was the eldest:
Marjorie A 5/8/1920, Edgerton R 19/7/1922, Gerald N 27/9/1924, Albert G 21/5/1926, Eileen J 1929, Lilian K 1929 and Audrey J E 7/8/1934.
 
Neither James, Annie nor Marjorie Cowling could be found in the June 1921 Register, though James was still in the Navy.
 
In 1939, James and Annie were living at 3 Council House, Alderton, Deben district, Suffolk. James was working as a Warriner on a farm. All seven children were present. Marjorie was shown as “Incapacitated”. The two eldest boys were farm labourers. It was indicated that Marjorie later married someone called Fisher and that Audrey married someone called Broyd.
 
After their marriage, Patrick and Marjorie Fisher had twin girls in1941 in the Deben district called Margaret A Fisher and Mary K Fisher. Sadly, both died shortly after birth.
 
Apparently, Marjorie suffered from epilepsy which was made worse by the pregnancy followed by the loss of her children and then her husband. This caused a deterioration in her mental health which affected her badly for the rest of her life.
 
Marjorie Annie Fisher, born 5/8/1920, died on 8/11/1981. She was a resident of Ipswich and was described as of St Audreys Hospital Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Military Records, Electoral Rolls
Suffolk Regiment War Diary
Wikipedia and Friends of the Suffolk Regiment websites for information on the regiment
“Fighting Through to Hitler’s Germany” by Mark Forsdike
Assistance from Kerry Marie Steff, Marjory Fisher’s great niece.

Research Elaine Gathercole