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I. J. Fitch
Air commodore Isaac John Fitch (3 October 1903 – 25 July 1944) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force, deputy director of intelligence at the Air Ministry and commanding air officer of Tarawa during the Second World War.[1][2][3] His relatively brief career was cut short when, en route to Australia, the aeroplane carrying him crashed into a hilltop on Florida Island killing everyone on board.[1][3][4] Early lifeFitch was born in Bedford on 3 October 1903.[1] He was the third son of Frank Fitch, a master baker and confectioner,[5] and Mary Redfern Fitch, both of Bedford.[6][7] He was educated at Bedford Modern School.[2] CareerFitch joined the Royal Air Force in 1926 as a pilot officer on a short service commission. After flight training he served with Army co-operation squadrons at home and in India until 1929. In 1930, he was promoted to flying officer after completing a signals course and thereafter spent for five years in the Middle East.[1] In 1937, he passed the RAF staff College course in Andover[citation needed] and was promoted to squadron leader.[1] During 1938 and 1939, Fitch was in the Directorate of Signals at the Air Ministry.[1][8] At the outbreak of the Second World War, he initially served on signal duties in France[1] and was made group captain on 1 June 1942,[9] and air commodore in September 1943.[1] Later that year, he was made deputy director of intelligence at the Air Ministry[10] and commanding air officer of Tarawa.[2][3] Consairways crashOn 25 July 1944, Fitch took a flight from Tarawa, his final intended destination being Australia.[3] He was flying with Consairways, a war airline that had been established by Donald Beatty[11] and was under contract to Air Transport Command.[3][12] The plane crashed into a 750 ft hilltop on Florida Island on approach to Carney Field, while travelling from Tarawa to Guadalcanal, en route to Australia.[3] It has been written that Fitch was carrying a case that "contained war plans detailing the upcoming major offensive in the Pacific, formulated by President Franklin Roosevelt and Pacific Command and was being delivered to General MacArthur".[4] Fitch was first interred in Lunga and re-interred in the Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery.[3] Personal lifeIn 1931, Fitch married Florence (née Gribble) in Bedford, England.[13] She survived him.[7] He was a useful rugby player and played for Bedford, making 93 appearances between 1921 and 1928.[14] References
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