Albert William Hewitt

Lce-Corpl Albert W Hewitt Worksop Guardian 27 September 1918 The sympathy of the townspeople will be extended to Mr Albert E Hewitt, hay and straw dealer, Eastgate, Worksop, in the blow which has befallen him by the death in action of his eldest son, Lce-Corpl Albert William Hewitt of the East York Regiment. The deceased soldier was killed in action on Sept 7th and would have been 29 years old next Tuesday. He was a fine, smart, well conducted youth, one of the brave band of Worksop lads who have fallen in the fight against the Germans. He enlisted in May 1917 and was drafted to France early in the present year. His regiment has been engaged in much severe fighting, and shortly after his arrival in France, he was slightly gassed. His last letter home is dated Sept 6th and on the following day he was killed. In a letter to the boy’s father, Lieut. York says:- I very much regret to have to break to you the news of the death of your son, who was killed in action on Sept 7th. We all regret the loss of a splendid soldier and a good comrade. He had endeared himself to all of us, and we can only hope that your sad bereavement may be slightly lightened by the thought, that we all share mostly deeply with you in the loss of one whom you must have held most highly and dearly.” This is a fine tribute for an officer to pay so young a soldier, and it goes to show that Hewitt;s good qualities, which were conspicuous in civil life, in no way deserted him when he joined the Army. Before enlisting, he assisted his father with the business and he was looking forward to rejoining him after the war. Mr Hewitt’s other son is a signaller in the Navy.

Commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium. Research by Colin Dannatt