William Henry Hewitt

Wounded twice, he pressed on against the German strongpoint.

William Henry Hewitt was born at Copdock, Suffolk, on 19 June 1884 and educated at Framlingham College. In 1905 he emigrated to South Africa. Police service introduced him to the country before farming became his occupation. When the First World War reached its second year, he enlisted in the 2nd Regiment of the 1st South African Infantry Brigade.

Hewitt reached France in July 1916. His regiment fought at Delville Wood, and he was wounded later that year near the Butte de Warlencourt. Evacuated to England, he met Lily Ollett, his future wife, while receiving treatment in London. He returned to the front and was a lance-corporal when the brigade advanced near Frezenberg during the Third Battle of Ypres.

On 20 September 1917 a German concrete pillbox blocked his section. Hewitt first tried to rush its doorway. The defenders resisted and severely wounded him, but their continued fire left the strongpoint dangerous to the advancing infantry. He moved around to a firing loophole and attempted to throw a grenade through it.

The attempt brought another wound, this time in the arm. He nevertheless persisted until he put a grenade inside. The explosion forced the occupants out, where the rest of his section overcame them. His official citation records the first failed rush, the second wound and the successful grenade attack as one sustained effort. Its word “Undeterred” captures his refusal to stop after either injury (London Gazette, 26 November 1917, issue 30400, page 12329; official transcription https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/ww1-south-african-vc-recipient-william-henry-hewitt).

King George V presented his Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace in January 1918. Hewitt married Lily that October; they had four daughters. After the war he farmed in Natal and later East Africa. His second war was spent in East Africa, including liaison and military-police responsibilities at Mombasa, and he reached the rank of major.

Retirement took him to Hermanus on South Africa's coast. In 1961 he returned to Britain seeking treatment for Parkinson's disease and remained with his family. He died at Cheltenham on 7 December 1966. After cremation, his ashes were scattered at sea near Cape Town, joining the country he had adopted as a young man.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery during operations. L./Cpl. Hewitt attacked a “pill-box” with his section, and tried to rush the doorway. The garrison, however, proved very stubborn, and in the attempt this non-commissioned officer received a severe wound. Nevertheless, he proceeded to the loophole of the “pill-box,” where, in his attempts to put a bomb into it, he was again wounded in the arm. Undeterred however, he eventually managed to get a bomb inside, which caused the occupants to dislodge, and they were successfully and speedily dealt with by the remainder of the section.

Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette of 23 November 1917. 26 November 1917, Numb. 30400, p. 12329