HEWITT, William Arthur

Sec.-Lieut. William A. Hewitt

Second Lieutenant, 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Died: 01/07/1916
Age: 23

Recorded on Thiepval Memorial
Recorded on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

William Arthur Hewitt was born in Princess Gardens, Bangor, on 23rd January 1893. He was the son of James Henry Hewitt, Manager of the Workshops for the Blind, and Jeannie Denby Hewitt nee Marshall. The family appear to move between Belfast and Bangor: William’s older brothers being born in South Parade Belfast, in 1885 and 1887; the family living in Rosetta Park, Belfast, in the 1901 census; then appearing in Altamount, Downshire Road, Bangor in the 1911 census. (The parents later living at 97 Mornington Park, Bangor).


He worked as a Clerk for the Belfast Banking Company.

Before the war, William, along with his brothers Ernest and Holt, joined the 1st Battalion North Down Regiment of the Ulster Volunteer Force, serving in ‘D’ Company, and is recorded on their Roll of Honour.

He was also a prominent member of the North of Ireland Football Club on whose memorial he is also recorded.

William received a commission as a temporary Second Lieutenant in the 9th Batt., Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on the 6th April 1915.

Second-Lieutenant W. A. Hewitt.
Second-Lieutenant W. A. Hewitt, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (County Tyrone Volunteers), missing, is a son of Mr. J. H. Hewitt, Altamount, Downshire Road, Bangor, manager of the Workshops for the Blind, Royal Avenue, Belfast. Heartfelt sympathy will go out to Mr. Hewitt, who has suffered very severely through the war, two other sons having already figured in the casualty lists – Lieutenant E. H. Hewitt, of the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), who was killed last year, and Lieutenant Holt M. Hewitt, Machine Gun Corps, reported missing, believed killed, last week.

Belfast News Letter, 10th July 1916

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Second-Lieutenant W. A. Hewitt.
Mr. J. H. Hewitt, Altamont, Downshire road, Bangor, County Down, recieved a letter yesterday from the commanding officer of the 9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Tyrone Volunteers), which leaves little doubt that he has lost a third son, Second Lieutenant W. A. Hewitt, who had previously been reported missing. Lieutenant E. H. Hewitt, the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment, and Lieutenant Holt M. Hewitt, 9th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, attached Brigade Machine Gun Company, have already been killed, the former last year, and the latter a few days ago.

The Daily Express, Dublin, 12th July 1916.

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THE ROLL OF HONOUR.
THREE BROTHERS KILLED.
Mr. J. H. Hewitt's Heavy Bereavement
Mr. J. H. Hewitt, Altamont, Downshire Road, Bangor, Manager of the Workshops for the Blind, Royal Avenue, Belfast, received a letter yesterday from the commanding officer of the 9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Tyrone Volunteers), which leaves little doubt that he has lost a third son, Second-Lieutenant W. A. Hewitt, who had previously been reported missing. Lieutenant E. H. Hewitt, the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), and Lieutenant Holt M. Hewitt, 9th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, attached Brigade Machine Gun Company, have already been killed, the former last year and the latter a few days ago. Lieutenant-Colonel Ricardo's letter regarding the third boy is as follows:–

July 6, 1916.

Dear Mr. Hewitt – I hardly know how to write. A letter is such a poor thing. Your two boys were loved by everyone in the regiment. They had such a sunny nature, together with such sterling characters that they were an example and inspiration to all. I cannot give you details of how Holt fell. Captain MacConachie, I am sure, will do that. Your little lad Willie led his platoon over our parapet, and the last I saw of him was his happy smile as I wished him luck. They got across to the German trenches, in front of which they came under an appalling machine-gun fire. Your lad was hit, and Sergeant Lally, who is now in hospital wounded, was with him when he passed over. It was a sad day for us, and I feel quite stunned and heartbroken. Your Willie was one of the nicest-minded boys I ever knew. My wife saw a letter he wrote to the widow of a man in his company, and she told me it was the most beautiful letter of sympathy she had ever read. No one but a spiritually-minded boy could have written such a letter. I made him my assistant adjutant, and of all my young lads I could spare him the least. No words can express the sympathy we all feel for yourself and Mrs. Hewitt and your family in the grievous double blow. I cannot write more.
      Lieutenant E. W. Crawford, adjutant of the Tyrone Battalion, has also written a sympathetic letter to Mr. Hewitt, and states – "The whole attack was the most heroic thing possible. The Divisional General, speaking of it, said it was the most gallant and heroic incident of the war. The pity of it was we lost our best, both officers and men."

Belfast News Letter, 12th July 1916

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Missing
Second-Lieut. W. A. Hewitt, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (County Tyrone Volunteers), missing, is a son of Mr. J. H. Hewitt, Altamount, Downshire Road, Bangor. Two other of his sons have figured in the casualty list.

The Witness, 14th July 1916

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THIRD BROTHER TO FALL
Mr. J. H. Hewitt, Altamont, Downshire Road, Bangor, who is the respected manager of the Workshops for the Blind, Royal Avenue, Belfast, received a letter to-day from the commanding officer of the 9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Tyrone Volunteers), which leaves little doubt that he has lost a third son, Second-Lieutenant W. A. Hewitt, who had previously been reported missing. Lieutenant E. H. Hewitt, the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), and Lieutenant Holt M. Hewitt, 9th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, attached Brigade Machine Gun Company, have already been killed, the former last year and the latter a few days ago. Lieutenant-Colonel Ricardo's letter regarding the third boy is as follows:–

July 6, 1916.

Dear Mr. Hewitt. – I hardly know how to write. A letter is such a poor thing. Your two boys were loved by everyone in the regiment. They had such a sunny nature, together with such sterling characters that they were an example and inspiration to all. I cannot give you details of how Holt fell. Captain MacConachie, I am sure, will do that.
      Your little lad Willie led his platoon over our parapet, and the last I saw of him was his happy smile as I wished him luck. They got across to the German trenches, in front of which they came under an appalling machine-gun fire. Your lad was hit, and Sergeant Lally, who is now in hospital wounded, was with him when he passed over.
      The Ulster Division achieved the impossible. Outside testimony says that our advance was probably the most wonderful thing that even this war has seen, and no other troops, I believe, would have continued to advance in the face of the fire they met. This brigade got to the objective allotted.
      It was a sad day for us, and I feel quite stunned and heartbroken. Your Willie was one of the nicest-minded boys I ever knew. My wife saw a letter he wrote to the widow of a man in his company, and she told me it was the most beautiful letter of sympathy she had ever read. No one but a spiritually-minded boy could have written such a letter.
      I made him my assistant adjutant, and of all my young lads I could spare him the least. No words can express the sympathy we all feel for yourself and Mrs. Hewitt and your family in the grievous double blow. I cannot write more.
                               A. RICARDO,
                               Lieut.-Col. 9th R. Inniskilling Fusiliers (Tyrone Volunteers).

Lieutenant E. W. Crawford, the adjutant, has written as follows:–

July 6

My Dear Mr. Hewitt,–
      I suppose vou will have heard that both Holt and Willie fell in the attack we made last Saturday. Your loss is so terrible that any words of mine are of little worth. Poor Holt, the most lovable and cheerful of souls! His sergeant says he was killed outright. He was one of my closest friends, and although he had gone to the Machine-gun Corps we, of the 9th (Inniskillings), considered him ours. Willie led his platoon fearlessly over the top. One of his men told me that he was wounded but still carried on, but had to stop — from loss of blood. After that the only thing I can gather is that Sergeant Lally of his battery, who himself was wounded, said he saw him die. He was a grand boy, one of the finest characters I have seen. He acted as assistant adjutant to me, and no more conscientious and better boy ever lived. The whole attack was the most heroic thing possible. The Divisional General, speaking of it, said it was the most gallant and heroic incident of the war. The pity of it was we lost our best, both officers and men. Nothing on this head can atone for your losses, but you have the certain knowledge that theirs was a fine and fitting finish to a fine life. Personally I cannot tell you how I feel. I have lost two of the best of friends. I am sending you on Willie's kit. If I can tell you anything more, or if I can do anything for you, please do not hesitate to let me know. With much sympathy and kindest regards, I am, yours very sincerely,
                                         E. W. Crawford, Adjutant.

Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt and family will, we feel certain, have the sincere sympathy of the community in the losses they have sustained.

Larne Times and Weekly Telegraph, 15th July 1916.

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Ulster News in Brief
The following resolution was passed at the monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Bangor Soldiers' Club, on the motion of Mr. John Polson, seconded by Mr. D. Cheyne -- "That this meeting of the committee of the Bangor Soldiers' Club places on record its deep sympathy with the relatives of those who have fallen, and expresses its pride in the gallant bravery of the Ulster Division, which has won for itself a name of imperishable renown. That copies of this resolution be sent to Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt and those connected with the work of the Soldiers' Club who have been similarly bereaved."

The Witness, 21st July 1916

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THREE BANGOR BROTHERS KILLED
Memorial Tablet Unveiled.
The unveiling of a memorial tablet commemorating the heroic deaths of Lieutenant E. H. Hewitt the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), and his brothers, Lieutenant Holt M. Hewitt and Second-Lieutenant. W. A. Hewitt, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, took place at the morning service in Bangor Parish Church on Sunday. There was a large congregation, and amongst those present were Mr. J. H. Hewitt, father of these gallant boys, and other relatives. Lieutenant Hewitt was killed on 15th June, 1915, and his brothers fell on that day of glorious but sad memories, the 1st July, 1916.
      The tablet was unveiled by the Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe (Right Rev. J. I. Peacocke), who was a former rector of Bangor, and was an intimate friend of the family. After the second lesson his Lordship, with the rector (Rev. J. A. Carey) proceeded to the west wall, where he read the dedicatory prayers. In the course of a loving tribute to their memory, his Lordship said he was proud to have known such boys. They had fallen in the service of their country, and it was but fitting that their memories should be perpetuated in the church in which they were wont to worship. Their noble lives and heroic deaths would long be remembered in the parish and far beyond its bounds. His Lordship also referred feelingly to the death of Captain Richard I. Robson, another member of the congregation, who fell in battle a few days ago. The hymn, "For all the saints who from their labours rest," was sung in place of the anthem. The memorial brass has been erected by Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt.

Belfast Newsletter, 15th August 1917

Portrait image from the RBAI Inst and the Great War website