1 General Headquarters, British Armies in France. 23rd September, 1918.
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= Dear Fr. Provincial, Following my letter of the 20th, I have now
received the following details of the death of Fr. FitzGibbon
from Fr. R. McGuinness, one of the chaplains of his division :- 'I am writing to inform you that Fr. J.J.
FitzGibbon, S.J., was killed yesterday evening, (R.I.P.) He had been at a Dressing Post up the line,
and was summoned to bury one of our men at the A.D.S.
Having completed the ceremony, he was going about amongst
the wounded when a shell burst close at hand, and a piece
struck him at the side of the head. One of our Catholic
men tells me that he heard him praying, and that death
occurred within a few minutes. I buried him today in the official cemetary
near the main Dressing Station. I, myself, have only been
with the Division four months, but I do know that Fr.
FitzGibbon was highly respected throughout the Dvision by
officers and men alike. He was absolutely full of zeal,
and wonderfully capable as Senior Chaplain, (Non-C. of E.)
of the Division, endearing himself to all the chaplains,
Catholic and Non-Catholic, to whom the loss of Fr. 'Fitz.'
is a terrible blow. I do not suppose we shall have any further
details, but later on it will probably be possible to have a
photograph of his grave. Believe me,
Yours very sincerely, B.S. Rawlinson The Very Reverend T.V. Nolan, S.J., Provincial, St. F. Xaviers, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.