Gilgandra, NSW
1677
45th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement
Organiser of Gilgandra Coo-ees
Died of Disease, 3.9.1916
Corporal William Thomas Hitchen 1677
William Thomas Hitchen was born near Mudgee NSW in 1864 to George and Catherine Hitchen. William was a plumber in Gilgandra when he enlisted on 10 October 1915. He stated his age as 44 but he was 51 at the time. William marched with the Coo-ees to Sydney but afterwards remained in Bathurst to help organise the Kookaburra Recruitment March from Tooraweenah to Bathurst. At the medical examination at Bathurst in February 1916 he was described as 5’7 1/2”, 180lbs (81kgs), medium complexion, light brown eyes, fair hair and religion, Roman Catholic. He was known as Captain Bill Hitchen on the Coo-ee March as he was the Captain of the Gilgandra Rifle Club before enlisting.
He embarked from Sydney on the HMAT Ceramic on April 14, 1916 and arrived in Plymouth via Egypt on June 16 1916 on the transport Franconia. William had reported sick with tonsillitis while on board the Franconia and was also diagnosed with Diabetes. He was admitted to hospital from the ship on June 16, 1916. He gradually grew weaker and died on September 3, 1916 in Harefield Hospital with a diagnosis of Melontonic Sarcoma (skin cancer) He was buried in the St Marys Churchyard, Harefield with full military honours in the presence of a French priest, the Officers, Doctors, sisters, orderlies and patients. Mr and Mrs Charles Billyard-Leake, the Australian owners of Harefield House also attended. The schoolchildren of Harefield have placed flowers on the graves in the St Mary’s Churchyard annually since the 1920’s. This young girl is a visiting Queenslander who laid a commemoration on William Hitchen’s grave in 2015. Photo included with father’s permission.
William and his brother Richard were the instigators and organisers of the Coo-ee March. It was the first recruitment march of its kind. When the march left Gilgandra, William’s 14 year old son, Cob, and a friend accompanied them as scout dispatch riders and buglers. His older son, William James Hitchen had enlisted earlier and was overseas by the time the march arrived in Sydney. Bill, as he was known, was recalled from the Western Front to spend time with his father before he died.
William’s possessions were returned to his wife, Emma Jane Hitchen and included a purse, identity disc, Masonic Badge, 2 religious charms, diary, Devotional Book, balaclava, gloves, razors strop and comb. When she received the Memorial Scroll and Kings Message she wrote to Major McLean and said she ‘was glad to have it’. Emma had moved from Bridge St Gilgandra to Kensington Sydney NSW and called her house ‘Cooee’.
William is commemorated on the Gulargambone War Memorial, the Gilgandra War Memorial and the Cooee Gateway Memorial. There is a W Hitchen on the Masonic Memorial at Baulkham Hills that may be William.
William was issued the British War Medal.
Bill Hitchen’s headstone, Photograph: S & H Thompson
Photo courtesy of John Tibben
1 David Wightman; 2 Robert Hitchen (Will Hitchen’s father); 3 Deborah Hitchen (Will Hitchen’s mother); 4…; 5 Margo Piggott (behind Janet); 6 Janet Cheal; 7 Bill Cheal; 8…; 9 John Hitchen (Will Hitchen’s uncle); 10 Reader; Photo; 11 William Thomas (Bill) Hitchen grandson; 12 David Hitchen (great grandson); 13 Florence Hitchen (wife to Bill); 14 Deboran (Debbie) Hitchen-Holmes (great granddaughter); 15 Natalie Hitchen (great great granddaughter); 16 Warwick Butler; 17 Morrison Butler; 18 Barry Harper; 19 Sue Walters 20 Dr Mark Holmes (husband to Deborah Hitchen-Holmes); 21 Betty Roberts; 22 Christine Hitchen (wife to David Hitchen); 23 Dr Brendan Nelson AO (Director of the Australian War Memorial).
