John Henry HITCHIN

11 December 1914

THE DOINGS OF THE SETTLE TROOP

Our Settle and district readers will be interested to hear that the Settle Company of Kitchener’s Army – who are included in the 10th Service Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment – left Trensham [Frensham] Camp on the 2nd inst., and went into the Oudenarde Barracks, North Camp, at Aldershot. The men are well and contented, and are working hard for their country’s cause. There are many civilians who do not even yet realise how much these men have given up and how cheerfully they face hardships in order that those at home, unable for various reasons to give their services, mat still enjoy the comforts and undisturbed peace of their own homes.

The next move of the regiment was on Monday to Camberley where they remain for seven days, and then back to barracks again. The men are in the midst of company training, and all ranks are doing their best to become efficient. K. Earnshaw, R, Coltswell, J.H. Hitchin, and N. Roberts have gained promotion, and there are many other Settle lads who are marked out for promotion in the immediate future. The last few weeks at Trensham were very rough, and the men found that it was no picnic to camp out in November. There are two invalids in hospital, viz., Pte. P.C. [C.P.] Branthwaite, of Newsholme, who is very ill with pneumonia, and Pte. Greenhow, from a very bad attack of the same disease.

12 May 1916

FORMER SETTLE BANK CLERK’S ALLEDGED FORGERY

At Tower Bridge on Saturday, John Henry Hitchin, 26, of Long Preston, was charged on remand with forging and uttering cheques at the Waterloo Hotel, York Road, Lambeth, and obtaining board and lodging by false pretences.

Evidence was given that the prisoner stayed at the hotel from January 27th until February 7th. He wore the uniform of a lieutenant in the Army, and stated that he had been promoted captain. He was alleged to have cashed a cheque for £10, and borrowed £5 on an I.O.U., which he repaid by giving a cheque for £12 12s. 10d. when he left, the balance of £7 12s. 10d. being the amount of his bill. The cheques were dishonoured; they were signed in the surname of a brother officer, but the signature was quite different. Prisoner’s own account at Cox’s Bank was overdrawn.

Mr. Percy Robinson, who defended, suggested that in view of the sad and peculiar circumstances of the case, the Magistrate might see his way to allow it to be withdrawn. The prisoner’s people were highly respectable. Prior to the war he was employed at a bank in Settle, and bore the highest character. At the outbreak of hostilities he joined the Army, and his conduct was so satisfactory that he was granted a commission. The obtaining of that commission had been his downfall. He mixed with people of a higher class and extravagant habits, and for some time he undoubtedly led a fast life. A few days after leaving his hotel he was suddenly taken ill in the Strand collapsed, and was removed to Charing Cross Hospital, and afterwards to the military hospital at Millbank, where he was operated upon for appendicitis. In March he was gazetted as being discharged from the Army for staying away without leave. Whatever happened, full restitution would be made to the proprietor of the hotel.

The Magistrate (Mr. Cecil Chapman) having read a letter from the prisoner’s mother, said he felt very sympathetic and touched by the circumstances of the case. The matter, however, was a grave one, and he would remand the prisoner another week in custody.

24 August 1917

MILITARY MEDAL FOR A LONG PRESTON SOLDIER

During the fighting near Arras last May, whilst acting as messenger for a superior officer, Lance Corporal Hitchin (youngest son of Mr. John Hitchin, of Long Preston) of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, was severely wounded, but managed to run back with his return message although buried almost to the head with earth, a shell bursting near. He was recommended for the Military Medal and has received the ribbon; the medal is to follow later. The recipient is now on a fair way to recovery and is in a convalescent camp at Ballykinlar, near Newcastle, Co. Down.

16 November 1917

LONG PRESTON – Military Notes

Lieutenant Jackman, recently at home, has transferred from the infantry to the Flying Corps and has gone into training for his new duties at Reading. – Lieutenant Beecroft, of the Tanks, has had a month’s leave on account of his brother’s illness. – Corporal Hitchin, M.M., who was severely wounded last summer and since been in a convalescent camp in Ireland, has had a short leave before returning to France. – Private Percy Cooper has been home on draft leave. – Before these lines are printed those who are well enough will be on their way to active service again, and it is certain that all their friends wish them even better luck in the future.

08 February 1918

HITCHIN – Missing, believed drowned, December 30th, 1917, Lance-Corporal John Hitchin, M.M., Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Hitchin, Prospect House, Long Preston.

08 February 1918

LONG PRESTON SOLDIER’ S FATE – A Military Medal Hero

The letters ‘R.I.P.’, meaning so much to those near and dear to the dead, have once again to be added to the name of a Long Preston soldier – Lance Corporal John Hitchin, of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Hitchin, Prospect House, who received official information by telegram from the Records Office at Perth that Lance Corporal John Hitchin “was missing, believed drowned, 30th December 1917.” A letter was received by them on Saturday confirming the telegram.

Before joining the Army he was employed in the Settle Branch of the Bank of Liverpool. It will be remembered by many who knew him that he was wounded in the leg whilst fighting in the Arras district in May last year. Whilst acting as messenger he was buried to the neck by shell burst and suffered internal injury, but carried out his task for which he was awarded the Military Medal. After being invalided home he was sent to a convalescent camp at Ballykinlar, near Newcastle, in Ireland. He was on his last home leave in November, and then proceeded to the Ripon Camp, and from there started for the East, the last letter received from him being dated 23rd December, and probably sent from some port of call in the Mediterranean. It is supposed, and almost a certainty, that he was one amongst the many on the ill-fated ‘Aragon’, torpedoed in sight of Egypt on 30th December.

On Sunday night a memorial service was held in the Long Preston Parish Church, when the local Volunteers were present in uniform, and the church was completely filled by relatives and sympathisers. The Vicar, Rev. R. Shipman, in his sermon, said he thought Lance Corporal John Hitchin was the first to join Mr. Tunstall’s Company when recruiting at the beginning of the war. He tried to make good and rose to the opportunity when he won the Military Medal, which was not an easy matter. In his last letter to his father he had said if he did not come back they would know he was trying to do his duty. They could picture him on that boat from which 800 lives were lost, brave to the last. The Dead March was played on the organ, and the Last Post sounded. The flag on the Church tower was at half-mast.

04 October 1918

SETTLE – PRIVATE W. W. WHITELEY DIES IN HOSPITAL

The death took place in a hospital at Glasgow on Saturday from wounds received in action of Private Wilfred Wilkinson Whiteley, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Whiteley of Craven Terrace, Settle. Deceased, who was 29 years of age, on joining-up was attached to the 3rd Duke of Wellington’s, but was transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was a man who was greatly respected by all who knew him, and of a quiet and kind disposition. Prior to the war he was a clerk at the Bank of Liverpool, Settle Branch. Out of eight of their staff five have been killed and two wounded – Second Lieut. Hartley Bentham, Corporal J. H. Hitchin (drowned in the Mediterranean), Private T.M. Birtle, Private R.F. Jones, and Private W.W. Whiteley, are those who have died for their country. There was a large gathering of sympathisers at the funeral on Tuesday. The coffin arrived at Settle Station at 11 a.m., and covered with the Union Jack, was taken to the Wesleyan Church, where a funeral service (choral) was held by the Rev. Grimshaw Yates. As the funeral party was leaving the Church, the organist, Mr. W.T. Walker, played the Funeral March. The cortege was headed by the special constables and firing party from the Officers’ Training Corps of Giggleswick School (of which school the deceased was an old boy). At the Burial Ground of the Holy Ascension Church, the vicar, Rev. W. E. Linney, read the Burial Service, assisted by the Rev. Grimshaw Yates. On the coffin being lowered, three volleys were fired and the ‘Last Post’ sounded. The Church bells rang muffled peals, and the flag was at half-mast. Many beautiful wreaths were sent, amongst them being one from the staff of the Bank of Liverpool, Settle, the Wesleyan Choir, and the Settle Tennis Club. Much sympathy is extended to Mr. and Mrs. Whiteley in their great loss. Their two remaining sons are on active service.