Beatrice Helen (Booth) FitzSimons OAM (1920 - 1994)

Born 27 Dec 1920 in Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Peter McCloy FitzSimons — married 12 Dec 1947 in Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia

Died 5 Jul 1994 at age 73 in Peats Ridge, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Beatrice Helen Booth was born 27th December 1920 at Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia. Helen, as she was known, was the fourth of five daughter of Fred Booth, a Boer War mounted rifles veteran, and Pollie Towt. The family made their home at Oakfield, Coonanbarra Road, Wahroonga, high on Sydney's North Shore and attended St John's Presbyterian Church (now Uniting Church), just up the road. ^[1]

Helen was one of few young ladies at the time who pursued tertiary education, but that she certainly did, graduating with a Diploma of Physiotherapy from the University of Sydney. ^[1]

Helen (Booth) FitzSimons OAM is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army Women's Medical Service 1942-1946
2/7th Australian General Hospital

On 30th December 1942, with the battle for Kokoda now secure and the fighting moved to the north coast of Papua, Helen was commissioned as a physiotherapist in the Australian Army Women's Medical Service (AAWMS) as a Lieutenant. She was posted to the 2/7th Australian General Hospital. A sister of future Australian governor-general, Sir Paul Hasluck, was a Sister at the hospital. Continuing to attend the repatriation of returned soldiers following cessation of hostilities, Helen finally resigned her commission on 4th October 1946 and resumed 'normal' life, working as a physio for returned soldiers at Broughton Hall, Sydney. ^[2]

Helen married fellow Second World War veteran and Wahroonga local lad, Peter FitzSimons, on 12th December 1947 in their local church, St John's Presbyterian. ^[3] They made their home on sixty acres at Peats Ridge, west of New South Wales' Central Coast, where Peter grew oranges, lemons, tomatoes, and more. ^[1]

In 1993, Helen was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia 'in recognition of service to the community, particularly the Country Women's Association'. ^[4]

Having been widowed for two years, Helen passed away, aged 73 years, on 5th July 1994 at Peats Ridge. She was survived by six of her seven children. ^[5]

Helen and Peter were the parents of noted Australian history author, Peter FitzSimons. ^[1] This is also noteworthy as Beatrice's brother's sister-in-law was married to a nephew of Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} FitzSimons, Peter. A Simpler Life. HarperCollins Publishers, Sydney, 2010. ISBN 978 0 7322 8804 4
2. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: NFX148237 (N442943) Lieutenant Beatrice Helen Booth; accessed 27 Oct 2020
3. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #23594/1947; registered at Chatswood
4. ↑ Australian Honours: Medal of the Order of Australia; accessed 4 Nov 2020
5. ↑ unsubstantiated family records