Bertie Thomas Hitchen
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Bertie Thomas Hitchen was born on 5th June 1897 at Offley Brook, Staffordshire, he was the son of Elijah Vincent John a bricklayer and Isabella Hitchen née Burndred of 22 Colwell Road Retford Nottinghamshire.
His father Elijah Vincent John was born in 1869 at Offley Hay, Staffordshire, his mother Isabella was born in 1869 at Kingsley Holt, Staffordshire, they were married in 1891 at Stoke upon Trent. they had 6 children.
In the 1911 census his father Elijah s boarding at 92 Sun Street, Hanley, Stoke on Trent he is shown as Elijah Hitchen 42 yrs a bricklayer he is boarding with Sarah Taylor 42 yrs a widow and her family.
In the same 1911 census his mother is living at Grosevenor House Blythe Bridge Staffordshire, she is shown as Isabella Hitchen 41 yrs she is living with Alfred Sims 38 yrs a colliery secretary and his family.
In the same 1911 census we find that Bertie Thomas 13 yrs a scholar is living with his grandmother Martha Hitchen 74 yrs a widow and farmer, he is living with 3 other grandchildren of Marthas at the address.
HMS Glory III
HMS Glory was commissioned on 1 November 1900 for service on the China Station, departing the United Kingdom for China on 24 November 1900 under the command of Captain A. W. Carter. When World War I broke out in August 1914, Glory was assigned to the 8th Battle Squadron, Channel Fleet, based at Devonport, but she was detached on 5 August 1914 to serve at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, as guard ship and to support the North America and West Indies Station cruiser squadron, serving as flagship of the station. She escorted a Canadian troop convoy in October 1914.
Glory transferred to the Mediterranean in May 1915 to participate in Dardanelles campaign, arriving at the Dardanelles in June 1915. At the end of 1915 she left this duty and joined the Suez Canal Patrol in the Mediterranean on 4 January 1916. In April 1916, she returned to the United Kingdom and began a refit at Portsmouth that lasted until July 1916.
Glory was re-commissioned on 1 August 1916 to serve as Flagship for Rear Admiral Kemp, British North Russia Squadron. In this duty, she was based at Archangel to protect supplies that arrived there for the Russian Army. (Wikipedia)
Private Bertie Thomas Hitchen was killed in action on 3rd May 1919 at Maselskaya, North Russia he is buried at Maselskaya Burial Ground and is commemorated on the Archangel Memorial
additional research and information Peter Gillings
Photo of Bertie Thomas Hitchen
Archangel Memorial, Russia
Photo of Bertie Thomas Hitchen
Archangel Memorial, Russia