Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookdate from 10 March), and was in command at the Second Battle of Ypres. Col. Hitchins directed operations till on the night of 26 April, 1915, he was shot through the heart. He was carried by his men to a ruined farm house, where it was ascertained life was extinct. The imperturbable courage and coolness shown by Col. Hitchins impressed all ranks. To quote a brother officer, Capt. Buchan, D.S.O.: "The Colonel was as brave as a lion." He is justly described as "the gallant Colonel of the Gallant Manchesters," who met a soldier's death whilst commanding with conspicuous bravery the battn. he loved so well, who trusted him so thoroughly, and who followed him so loyally to the death. A Military Memorial Service was accorded to Lieut.-Col. Hitchins at the depôt of his regt. at Ashton-under-Lyne, in the presence of the troops, the mayor and corporation and public bodies. Col. Hitchins was twice mentioned in despatches "for gallant and distinguished service in the field," first on 31 May, 1915, and again on 1 Jan. 1916. General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien specially named the 1st Battn. The Manchester Regt. as deserving of the highest praise for its great services at the end of April, at Ypres. General Sir James Willcocks, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., K.C.S.I., D.S.O., commanding Indian Army Corps, in his personal tribute, wrote: "I had the honour and pleasure of knowing Col. Hitchins and his glorious battn. of the Manchesters very well.... His zeal and affection for his corps were remarkable; he was a very fine specimen of a soldier and a man, and commanded one of the finest battns. I ever served with. It is impossible to beat them at anything, and I always felt sure that any task they had to perform would be carried through, no matter at what cost. Col. Hitchins died as he had always lived, doing his duty nobly." Lieut.-Gen. Sir Henry Watkis, K.C.B., late commanding Lahore Division, thus expressed himself: "He was an officer whose soldierly qualities came to be recognised at once under the great test of active service.... No one more deserved the promotion he received than Col. Hitchins, who so gallantly led the repeated charges of the battn. which I was so proud to address as 'The Gallant Manchesters' on that occasion. Five months afterwards he again led his battn. against the enemy in the second Battle of Ypres.... In him the service and his country lost a very brave officer and gentleman." Major-Gen. Carnegy, C.B., late commanding the Jullundur Brigade, in his long personal tribute, mentioned: "Col. Hitchins was known as a very gallant officer, frequently exposing himself at the call of duty in the trenches with almost reckless bravery, and consequently was greatly admired by the men. He died as a gallant British officer and gentleman, laying down his life for his country, and I feel I have lost a good friend and comrade." To these and other great testimonies to his fine qualities as a soldier is added the knowledge that he won the confidence and devotion of his men. A message from His Majesty was received by the family again graciously expressing his sympathy and condolence, and informing them of His Majesty's high appreciation of the services of the late Lieut.-Col. H. W. E. Hitchins. Col. Hitchins was a zealous Freemason and belonged to several lodges in England and in India. His favourite sport was hunting, he was known as a fine horseman, a keen judge of a good horse, an enthusiastic polo player, he was interested in racing and devoted to animals. Col. Hitchins was _unm._ [Illustration: =Henry W. E. Hitchins.=] =HOAD, HENRY JAMES WILLIAM=, Cook's Mate, M. 3079, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =HOAD, PERCY EWART=, Private, No. 2196, 1/5th Battn. The Royal Sussex Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of George Hoad, by his wife, Sarah (now wife of (----) Parsons, of White Cottage, The Strand, Rye), dau. of John Hoad; _b._ King's Gate, Wittersham, co. Kent, 10 July, 1898; educ. Rye; enlisted 15 Aug. 1914; went to France, 10 July, 1915, and was killed in action there by a shell, 28 July following; _unm._ =HOARE, THOMAS=, Private, No. 9067, 2nd Battn. The Buffs (East Kent Regt.), _s._ of James Hoare, of North Street, Sheldwick, Faversham; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action, 3 May, 1915. =HOARE, WILLIAM HENRY=, A.B., 238331, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =HOBAN, WILLIAM=, Private, No. 6468, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards; _b._ Castlerea, co. Roscommon; enlisted 23 Nov. 1905; served in Egypt, 16 Jan. 1908 to 23 March, 1911, and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 12 Aug. 1914; killed in action at La Tretoire, 8 Sept. following. Buried by the side of the road through La Tretoire Wood; _unm._ =HOBBS, ALFRED HERBERT=, Signalman, No. 183651, R.F.R., Ch. 4295, R.N., 2nd _s._ of Harry Edward Hobbs, of 20, North Road, Brighton (for many years second officer of the Brighton Volunteer Fire Brigade), by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of William Johnson; _b._ Upper Holloway, 20 Nov. 1877; entered the Navy, 1894; served in the Somaliland Expedition (medal); passed into the Reserve, 24 Nov. 1906, and was caretaker at the Croydon Gas Offices; mobilised Aug. 1914, and was lost on H.M.S. Cressy when that ship was sunk in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. He _m._ at Spurgeon Tabernacle, West Croydon, 10 March, 1904, Frances Kate (102, Albert Road, Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon), 2nd dau. of James Mugridge, of Brighton, and had four children: Herbert Lionel James, _b._ 13 May, 1913; Kathleen Eva Rose, _b._ 7 July, 1907; Vera Irene May, _b._ 24 March, 1909; and Eugenie Violet Joyce, _b._ 7 May, 1911. =HOBBS, FRANK MATTHEW=, 2nd Lieut., 4th Battn. The Royal Fusiliers, only _s._ of Frank Henry Hobbs, of Carnarvon, Claremont Road, Tunbridge Wells, by his wife, Jane Ann, dau. of Matthew Vowles; _b._ Tunbridge Wells, co. Kent, 5 June, 1895; and was educ. at Ardingly College. There he was in the O.T.C., obtained Certificate A. and won the silver cup three years in succession for efficiency, also the silver medal, and was in the cricket XI and played goal for the College football team. He was also awarded the bronze medal for life saving from drowning, and the certificate as an instructor of the same. On 11 Dec. 1913, he was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 4th Royal Fusiliers, and went to France with the first Expeditionary Force on 13 Aug. following. He served through the retreat from Mons, the Battle on the Marne, and retirement on Paris, and was killed at Vailly, near Braisne, during the Battle of the Aisne, 14 Sept. 1914, by shrapnel wounds in the head; _unm._ The late Brigadier-General McMahon wrote of him: "He is a very great loss to me, as he has done his duty most nobly and gallantly, always calm and thoughtful, and a most excellent and promising officer." [Illustration: =Frank Matthew Hobbs.=] =HOBBS, HERBERT=, Leading Signalman (R.F.R., Ch. B. 4295), 193651 H.M.S. Cre |