Dennis George Wyldbore Hewitt

Dennis George Wyldbore Hewitt

Memorial plaque in All Saints' Church, Hursley
Born 18 December 1897
Mayfair, London
Died 31 July 1917 (aged 19)
St Julien, Belgium
Buried at Remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Rank Second Lieutenant
Unit The Hampshire Regiment
Battles/wars World War I 
Awards Victoria Cross

Dennis George Wyldbore Hewitt VC (18 December 1897 31 July 1917) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Biography

Hewitt was the son of Elizabeth Mary née Rampini (1871–1959) and Hon. George Wyldbore Hewitt (1858–1942) - himself a son of James Hewitt, 4th Viscount Lifford. He was born in Mayfair, London and educated at Winchester College. He was 19 years old, and a Second Lieutenant in the 14th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment (later The Royal Hampshire Regiment), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 31 July 1917 north-east of Ypres, Belgium, when his first objective had been captured, Second Lieutenant Hewitt reorganised his company and moved forward. Whilst waiting for the barrage to lift, he was hit by a piece of shell which exploded the signal lights in his haversack and set fire to his equipment and clothes. He extinguished the flames and then, despite his wound and severe pain, he led forward the remnants of the company under a very heavy machine-gun fire and captured and consolidated his objective. He was subsequently killed by a sniper while inspecting the consolidation and encouraging his men.[1]

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate[2]

References

  1. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30284. p. 9532. 14 September 1917. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  2. CWGC entry


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