I. J. Fitch

Fitch 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]

Fitch 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 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]

On 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]

In 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]