The Memorial Cross awarded to the next-of-kin of 40145 Frederick Stephen Fisher who was killed in action in Italy on 30th November 1944 during the advance to Faenza whilst serving with 22nd Battalion.

 

Frederick Fisher was born 21st July 1914 at Feilding, son of Percy and Margaret Alice Fisher (née Wenham). At the time of his enlistment in 1941, Frederick was working as a clerk in Feilding in the Manawatu. He embarked in 1941 with 22 Battalion, and likely saw service in North Africa prior to transferring to the Italian front in 1943.

 

In October 1944, at the Battle of the Savio, Fisher demonstrated his fearlessness and personal characteristics. An anecdote in the 22 Battalion History noted: "A massive hedge, with perhaps a tank-trap ditch behind it, barred the way at one stage. Spandaus, too, were expected on the other side. Halting his tanks, the troop commander asked an officer to look through the hedge. Hearing the request, Fred Fisher, with his No. 38 set, and knowing of the possible dangers, ran to the hedge and had to be hauled out by his heels and ordered to sit down while the officer wormed his way through and viewed the other side. The officer writes: ‘He, in that instant was prepared to give me everything, literally, and not to me personally - I don't recall having seen him before this, for I had just come back from two months in hospital. He was prepared to do that for any of us. But there were so many things done like that amongst the companies….’

 

By November 1944 the NZers were preparing to advance on Faenza, which involved capturing positions on the Lamone River, between Forli and Faenza. The 22 Battalion Official History records these events: "The battalion's new position, facing the Lamone River, was a difficult spot. The enemy had converted Ronco settlement just over the river into a stronghold, and held firmly in Scaldino, east of the river and immediately north of the battalion's positions. The first task for the rested New Zealanders would be to clear the Germans back over the river......Along this riverbank opposition was heavy and vigorous, and both sides brought down direct fire at the slightest provocation. In retaliation for 12 Platoon's use of a Piat mortar from the top story of its casa, ‘a Panther tank sneaked up onto a stopbank and blazed away until things got too hot for it. Its gun hacked away at the top of our casa, 12 direct hits, like a mad dentist attacking a tooth, and we [12 Platoon] were the shrinking nerves, cowering in the basement. Two men were bruised and shaken by falling masonry.’.....While to the left the two platoons cleared and occupied ground to as far as Casa di Sopra, on the right Paterson's platoon converged on Casa di Mezzo, a couple or so buildings behind a crossfire from spandaus placed at intervals right across the front, and where bazookas fired at the tanks. In this hot spot Private Freddy Fisher9 (with the No. 38 radio set) met his death. The only choice for Paterson's platoon was a frontal attack."

 

An eye-witness to his death recorded this: "He was quite tall, slightly built, rather shy and a sensitive type - nothing of the tough, hardbitten fighting man about Fred, though the reason he was killed was really because he couldn't work his 38 set properly lying down -in fact they never would work properly when you wanted them to, whether you stood up or stood on your head,’ writes a comrade. ‘However, Fred had the 38 set and was determined to do the job properly, so he sat up in a very shallow ditch in the middle of an open paddock while we had mortars, 88s, bazookas and Spandaus giving us the works. Every time I looked round at him he'd be sitting up calmly fiddling with the dials, or trying to fix the aerial in a different fashion. To my constant: “Lie down, you silly b—Freddy,” he had the same reply each time: “She's right, I'll make the b— work yet.” Then the mortar landed and exploded almost in his face.’

 

Freddy Fisher lies in the Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy. The Memorial Cross is correctly impressed 40145 PTE. F.S. FISHER