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Private John Albert Hewitt

Description

TitlePrivate John Albert HewittSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionJohn was born at Cass 31 May 1891, the second son of William Paul and Margaret Hewitt. The family moved to Annat when he was six and he attended the Waddington Public School. He took a keen interest in local sports and was one of the most prominent players in the Malvern Football Sub-Union. He also was a very enthusiastic player in the Sheffield Cricket Club. He was 5ft 7 ¼ in tall with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.

He enlisted on the 14 August 1914 at Rangiora when his occupation was given as labourer for his father. It was noted that on the call for volunteers Private Hewitt was one of the first to enlist in the Malvern District. He had military experience as he was a member of the 13th Territorial Regiment, the North Canterbury and Westland. He was amongst those who landed at Gallipoli on 25 April and was wounded on 31 May. He was evacuated to the Greek hospital at Alexandria, but died of his wounds on the 16 June 1915, aged 24. This was in the days before antibiotics and so infections were difficult to control. He is buried in the Alexandria Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. John is remembered on the Malvern County and Sheffield War Memorials

Chatby is a district on the eastern side of the city of Alexandria, between the main dual carriageway to Aboukir (known as Al Horaya) and the sea. The Cemetery is located centrally within the main Alexandria Cemetery complex, which is bordered by Al Horaya on the south and the electric tramway which is parallel with Sharia Champollion on the north. Chatby Military and War Memorial Cemetery (originally the Garrison cemetery) was used for burials until April 1916, when a new cemetery was opened at Hadra. Thereafter, burials at Chatby were infrequent, although some graves were brought into the cemetery after the war from other burial grounds in the area. There are now 2,259 First World War burials in the cemetery and 503 from the Second World War. The cemetery also contains war graves of other nationalities and many non war and military graves, some of which date from 1882. The Chatby Memorial stands at the eastern end of the cemetery and commemorates almost 1,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died during the First World War and have no other grave but the sea. Many of them were lost when hospital ships or transports were sunk in the Mediterranean, sailing to or from Alexandria. Others died of wounds or sickness while aboard such vessels and were buried at sea.First NameJohn AlbertLast NameHewittFamilySingleSecond son of William Paul and Margaret HewittDate of Birth31 May 1891Place of BirthCassDate of Death16 June 1915Place of DeathGallipoliCause of DeathDied of wounds Age at Death24

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CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialSheffield War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph

Military Service

Memorial or CemeteryAlexandria Military and War Memorial CemeteryMalvern County War MemorialSheffield War Memorial Occupation before EnlistingLabourerEnlistment Details14th August 1914Service Number6/832CountryNew Zealand

Attribution

Researched ByL. M. Seaton

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Private John Albert Hewitt