He joined 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment on 3rd March, 1968, and was allotted as a Stretcher Bearer in the Medical Platoon.
On 4th April, 1969. during Operation Overlander in Long Khanh Province, D Company came under heavy machine gun and rocket fire from enemy occupied bunkers at a distance of twenty metres. During a heavy and continuous fire fight that lasted over one hour. two members of D Company were killed and thirteen wounded. The leading scout, who it was subsequently shown had been killed by machine gun fire. was lying within ten metres of the enemy position.
Private Fitch, discarding his own personal weapon and carrying only his medical stores went forward under heavy fire to assist the leading scout. He returned to the remainder of the leading platoon and moved fifty metres to the flank to assist another critically wounded soldier. At this time Private Fitch was himself wounded in the stomach by rocket fire.
Throughout the remainder of the action. Fitch, although always under accurate enemy fire continued to move around the platoon treating the other twelve wounded soldiers. Over two hours later, during the evacuation of the wounded, Private Fitch was still treating others and refusing any help to himself. He displayed a complete disregard for his own safety and despite his own wounds placed the care of other wounded as his only concern.