Lieutenant James Thomas Hewitt

1. Lieutenant, 7th Battalion, Infantry (Army).
2. Lieutenant (Army).
3. Private (Army).

Military Career - September 1915 to January 1916 (Canada)

James Thomas Hewitt began his service during the first World War as a Private with the 67th Battalion C.E.F. in September 1915. The first medical he had taken was for the 67th Battalion, and the examination was made on September 8th 1915 at Victoria B.C. (Source: Medical History Sheet). He is described here as 5 ft. 3 inches tall and 150 lbs. He had last been vaccinated in 1890.

A document in his file indicating "Promotions, Transfers, Discharges, Etc." shows him as a Private with the 67th Battalion September 8 - 30, 1915, and then "Acting Corporal" in October 1915. On January 26th, 1916 he is discharged as he planned to take a commission as an Officer with the 143rd.

Commission as an Officer of the 143rd Battalion C.E.F. - January 1916 (Canada)

A document captioned "Active Militia of Canada" indicates that "Sergt. James Thomas Hewitt" was recommended for the rank of Prov. Lieutenant on January 27, 1916 for the 143rd Battalion C.E.F. A "Proceedings on Discharge" document Stated that "Acting Sergeant" James Thomas Hewitt, No. 102443, was discharged from the 67th Battalion CEF on January 26th, 1917 at Victoria, B.C. The reason for his discharge was stated as "Taking a commission in the 143rd Battalion C.E.F." Special qualification for employment in civil life described as "Newspaper man". The document was signed by Lieut.-Col. Lorne Ross of the 67th Battalion.

Later on, Hewitt was to indicate on his Officers' Declaration Paper for the 143rd Battalion C.E.F. (signed 22 March 1916) that his current home address was 1134 Comox Street in Vancouver, B.C. With respect to any prior military service, Hewitt indicated on the same document that he belonged to the 72nd Regiment (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada) and that he had five months of previous service with the 67th Battalion CEF. A Medical Officer had signed the "Certificate of Medical Examination" which appears at the bottom of the Officers' Declaration, and this was signed in Vancouver on March 22nd, 1916.

Another medical examination took place in Victoria, B.C., on February 14th, 1916. He was described in this report as 5 feet 2.5 inches (shorter than what appears on his attestation), and weighing 150 lbs. He had an appendicitis operation scar. Another "Medical History Sheet" was filled in for this examination.

Assigned Pay and Separation Allowances

A large part of his lengthy military file is taken up with documents relating to his assigned pay and separation allowances which were sent first to his widowed mother in Toronto, and later to his wife. According to the Separation Allowance documents, he married on July 18th, 1916. Originally his Separation Allowance went to his mother Sarah Hewitt, at 2 Gifford St., in Toronto. She was paid from September 8th, 1915 to August 31st, 1916. She was described as a "widowed mother".

An "Assigned Pay" sheet dated March 1st, 1917, designated the amount of $40.00 per month to his wife. The payments are handwritten on the sheet and there are entries of $40.00 per month for 10 months beginning with March 1917 and a final payment for December 1917, with a total of $400.00. Her address was given as Suite 12, Mount Crown Blk., N. Vancouver, B.C.

A document entitled "Separation and Assigned Pay Branch" indicates that the assigned pay to his wife was $30 per month. There is a note at the bottom of this page to continue the Separation Allowance and Assigned Pay after his death until May 31st, 1918.

Overseas Military Service - February 1917

The "Casualty Form-Active Service" begins with the notations that he embarked (for overseas) on February 16th, 1917, and disembarked in England on February 27th, 1917. At this point he is with the 143rd Battalion, and on March 23rd, 1917 he was transferred to the 24th Reserve Battalion at Seaford Camp. On May 20th, 1917, he is taken on the strength of the 1st Canadian Reserve Battalion, also at Seaford Camp. Finally, on the bottom of this page, he is "S.O.S. on proceeding overseas" (in other words, leaving England) on August 24th, 1917.

He is taken on the strength of the 7th Battalion on August 25th, 1917, and he was to die while serving with this unit.

There are a very few medical notes during Hewitt's service overseas. According to an index card in Hewitt's military file, he was diagnosed with Gastoenteritis (stomach flu) and admitted to No. 10 Candian Field Ambulance on October 3rd, 1917. He returned to duty on October 10th.

Service at the front

The military file has few details of his service at the front, but more can be found by looking through the war diaries (Library & Archives Canada) for the 7th Battalion CEF.

The following report was one of the first to appear in the newspapers after his death in action at Passchendaele. There is some confusion over the date, and the paper used November 10th, 1917, However there are various notes in his military file indicating that the correct date was November 11th, 1917.

Toronto Star, 22 November 1917, transcription:

HAD PRESENTIMENT OF BROTHER'S DEATH
Lt. Jas. T. Hewitt Killed in Action on November 10--Official Word To-day.

Word was received to-day by Mrs. Sarah Hewitt, 2 Gifford street, that her son, Lieut. James Thomas Hewitt, infantry, was reported killed in action on November 19--the day that Passchendaele Ridge was taken by the Canadians.

Lieut. Hewitt, who was sporting editor of the Vancouver, B.C., Province, enlisted with the 67th Battalion at Vancouver in 1915 and was transferred to the 143rd Battalion, with whom he went overseas. He crossed to France in August and was attached to the famous 7th Battalion, serving first at Lens and then in Flanders. In a letter, dated November 2, he stated that the Canadians were all in Flanders for the attack on the ridge and he was to take part in the action.

While Lieut. Hewitt had lived in Winnipeg and Vancouver for some years, he was well known in Toronto as a all-round athlete, having won Canadian championships in boxing, football and rowing. He was 36 years of age, and considered a perfect physical type.

Lieut. Hewitt was married shortly before going overseas, and his wife resides in Vancouver. He is a brother of W. A. Hewitt, sporting editor of The Star, who a week ago last Saturday had a presentiment that something had happened to Lieut. Hewitt, and mentioned it to several members of the staff. That was on November 10, the day his brother was killed in action.

Vancouver Daily Sun, 15 December 1917, transcription:

Lieut. Hewitt's Death.
Writing to the widow of the late Lieut. J. T. (Jimmy) Hewitt, about his death, Capt. A. H. Loughton says: "He proved a highly capable and efficient officer and his work was always of the highest merit. He set a splendid example at all times for the members of his company and I sincerely regret to inform you that he was killed instantaneously with a number of other western lads by a high-explosive shell."

Hewitt was a well known Canadian newspaperman and sportsman. Some of the newspaper reports dealt with his respected career in Canada.

Vancouver Sun, 11 November 1918, transcription. This was reprinted in The Toronto Star on November 20th:

IN MEMORY OF "JIMMY"

One year ago to-day "Jimmy" Hewitt, one of the gamest and most likeable athletes Vancouver has ever seen, was killed at Passchendaele while leading his company in a charge against a [error, part missing of original]

When the war began "Jimmy" was a sporting editor. He volunteered as a private, but went to work studying, and in a short time was commissioned a lieutenant. He helped to organize and train "The Bantams," the brave little fellows of diminutive size whose lion-heartedness and patriotism more than made up for their deficiency in height, and left Vancouver with them.

"Jimmy's" memory will endure with all who knew him. There were few that could measure up to his standard. Here's wishing the world could produce more like him."

Lieut. James Hewitt's family still remembered his life and service for many years after his death, and regularly published "In Memoriam" notices in the newspaper upon the anniversaries of his death.

Toronto Star "In Memoriam" notice, published 11 November 1919:

HEWITT--In proud and loving memory of Lieut. James T. Hewitt, 7th Battalion, Canadians, son of Mrs. Sarah Hewitt, Toronto, who was killed in action at Passchendaele, on November 11, 1917, while leading an attack.

Toronto Star "In Memoriam" notice, published 09 November 1920, pg. 17B:

HEWITT--In proud and loving memory of Lieut. James T. Hewitt, 7th Battalion, Canadians, who was killed in action at Passchendaele, Belgium, November 11th, 1917.

Toronto Star "In Memoriam" notice, published 11 November 1922, pg. 26:

HEWITT--In loving memory of Lieut. James T. Hewitt, 7th Battalion, C.E.F., who was killed in action at Passchendaele November 11, 1917.

World War Two had passed, and the Hewitt family still continued to remember their lost son.

Toronto Star on November 11th, 1949, pg. 36:

HEWITT--In ever loving memory of Lieut. James T. Hewitt, 7th Battalion, C.E.F., who was killed at Passchendaele, Belgium, Nov. 11, 1917.

Medals, Decorations, Plaque & Scroll, Memorial Cross - index card

Hewitt's military file includes an index card which details where his medals, Memorial Plaque, Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent. He was entitled to the British War Medal (BWM) and Victory Medal (VM). The war medals were sent to his widow, Mrs. Gwendoline Emily N. Hewitt, Westover Rd., Lynn Valley, N. Vancouver, B.C. The Memorial Plaque (also known as "Dead Man's Penny") was despatched to her on May 1st, 1922. The Scroll was sent on February 19th, 1921. In the case of the Memorial Cross, two were despatched; one to his mother, Mrs. Sarah Hewitt, 619 East Beach, Biloxi, Mississippi, and despatched on October 1st, and another Memorial Cross was sent to his widow the following day. There is also a small note that the Military Cross was returned on October 19th, 1920 as unclaimed, but no explanation as to which one was returned. His mother's address has been wiped out and replaced with the Biloxi address, so perhaps this Memorial Cross was returned from her old address in Canada, and then resent to the United States.

An earlier index card with general information in his military file that is probably from the time he embarked overseas, states that his wife, Mrs. G. E. Hewitt, is living at Suite 12, Mount Crown Block, North Vancouver, B.C. This card has the following note across the bottom: "From Halifax, per S.S. Southland".

Following the war, his wife received a War Service Gratuity. The details are outlined on a document entitled "War Service Gratuity to Dependents of Deceased Soldiers". He address is given as Mrs. Gwendoline E. Hewitt, Westover Road, Lynn Valley, North Vancouver, B.C. The "amount of Special Pension Bonus" was $120.00. She was eligible for a Gratuity of $240.00, but they deduced the Special Pension bonus which had already been paid from this amount, leaving $120.00 to be paid out.

Investigation into his date of Death

It is unclear who initiated various investigations to clarify Hewitt's date of death, and why it was looked at again in 1990 . As mentioned within an earlier newspaper report cited above, there appeared to be reports that he died on November 10th. A document appears in Hewitt's file, dated February 27th, 1918 entitled "Certificate of Death". Transcription as follows:

It is hereby certified that, according to information communicated to this Department by officials overseas, Lieutenant James Thomas Hewitt, of the 7th Overseas Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary force, was killed in action on the 11th day of November, 1917. Signed: Lt.-Col., Director of Records, for a/Adjutant-General.

Another document from November 19th, 1917, entitled "Field Service, Army Form B. 2090 A" originally had November 10th, 1917 as the date of death, but this is crossed out and replaced with November 11th. This report came from Casualty List No. 1169 dated November 14, 1917.

A document entitled "Circumstances of Death Report" states that Lieut. Hewitt was killed in action on November 11th, 1917 - "The late Lieut. Hewitt was killed by shell fire on November 11th, 1917, and death was instantaneous."

There are two documents in the file from 1990 that appear to be connected into an investigation clarifying the date he died. One is a full page dated August 29, 1990, and the other is a brief notation. The full page is typed and outlines the basic facts of his background and military service and indicates that he died on November 11, 1917.

Original Will

Lieut. Hewitt's original will was forwarded to Mrs. Hewitt at Suite 12, Mt. Crown Apts., North Vancouver, B.C. on January 25th, 1918.

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Researched by Marika I. Pirie, 2017. In memory of the newspapermen of Canada who served during the first World War.

143rd Battalion Nominal Roll. Previous service - 72nd Regiment.

Additional Next-of-kin information (married 18 July 1916): Gwendoline E. Hewitt, Wife, 1209 Thurlow St., Vancouver, British Columbia

Full military file (82 pages) digitized in 2016. Link to PDF .