William Henry Hewitt

William Henry Hewitt
Born	19 June 1884 Copdock, Suffolk
Died	7 December 1966 (aged 82) Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Buried at	Cheltenham Cemetery and Crematorium, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Allegiance	United Kingdom  Union of South Africa
Service/branch	South African Forces
Rank	Major
Unit	2nd South African Light Infantry
Battles/wars	World War I Western Front
Awards	Victoria Cross

William Henry Hewitt VC (19 June 1884 – 7 December 1966) was a South African soldier, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces, during the First World War.

Details

He was 33 years old, and a lance-corporal in the 2nd South African Light Infantry, South African Forces during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 20 September 1917 east of Ypres, Belgium, Lance-Corporal Hewitt attacked a pill-box with his section and tried to rush the doorway. The garrison, however, proved very stubborn and in the attempt the lance-corporal received a severe wound. Nevertheless he proceeded to the loophole of the pill-box where, in his attempts to put a bomb in it, he was again wounded in the arm. Undeterred, he finally managed to get the bomb inside where it dislodged the occupants and they were successfully dealt with by the rest of the section.^[1]

Further information

He later achieved the rank of major.

The medal

Hewitt's medal is on permanent loan to the British War Museum from Framlingham College, Suffolk, England. It was given to the school by his wife after his death.^[2]

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Gloucestershire)
• William Henry Hewitt at Find a Grave

References