Salford OnLine request for help

[Hawker Hurricane]

The following request for help was posted on our Facebook group by Tony from Salford OnLine:

"Hi Swarm, Hoping that you can help us out with a query. A chap has brought into our offices a letter that he found in his attic from a Private C. E. Hitchcock 51589 of the 3rd Regiment, Royal Wech Fusiliers dating September 1916. He is in a place in England called Bebbington Camp, Rock Ferry, Cheshire recuperating from his injuries. He states in his letter that he also fought in South Africa presumably the Boer War. How do we track this man's military history down or hopefully return the letter to his relatives. He sent the letter to his friend Mr F. Curran, 14 Lily Street, Lower Broughton, Manchester. Finally Private Hitchcock says that his old number was 39012 if that is of any help. Cheers, Tony."

[Hawker Hurricane]

The only military record I can find is his medal card on Ancestry, which shows he was a private (85425) in the Royal Air Force, presumably after his period with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. There is no sign of any Service or Pension records on Ancestry, and no record in the military collections on Find My Past relating to his possible earlier service is South Africa.

If he went into the Royal Air Force, would his records have all been transferred to the RAF at that time and remained with them? I know some RAF records (Officers up to 1922 and airmen up to 1924) are with the National Archives, and don't appear to have been digitised and made available on-line yet.

Any suggestions anyone?

[steveboler]

Hi HH,
Could this be the man found www.angloboarwar.com
Charles Hitchcock number 21519 - 25th. Company, 7th. Battalion Imperial Yeomanry.
(source QSA Medals).
Just thought maybe missed out middle name and also not expert enough, like you, to find more info.

Steve

[shred]

Charles E Hitchcock enlisted on the 11th of November 1915 and was discharged due to sickness on the 16th October 1916. He never served abroad as there aren't any medals issued. However, he did receive the Silver War Badge. In 1927 Charles lived at 4 Howards Row, Chard, Somerset.

A Charles E J Hitchcock died in Chard in 1954 aged 70 making his approx year of birth as 1884.

[shred]

He must have been feeling a lot better some time after the 1st April 1918, when the Royal Air Force was established, as he joined up again.

[shred]

Charles served with the 3rd battalion, this battalion wasn't posted abroad during WW1.

From www.1914-1918.net/rwf.htm

3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : administratively headquartered in Wrexham but physically in Pembroke Dock. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Returned to Wrexham on 9 August 1914 but moved to Litherland near Liverpool in May 1915. Moved to Ireland in November 1917 and by the end of the war was at Limerick.

[shred]

Tony Flynn from Salfordonline has now published the article about Charles E Hitchcock, he is slightly confused, as am I, about the differences in events described in the letter and the documents that I have provided.

Here is the letter (I have tried to keep all grammar and spelling as close to that contained in the letter).


From Pte C.E.Hitchcock, 51589
3rd Battn R.W.F. Regt
Address reply to – Reg Tailor, Tailor’s Shop
Bebington Camp, Rock Ferry
Cheshire

Sep 10th 1916

Dear Friend Frank,
Just a few lines, sorry I have not written to you before, as when I left Cardiff with the draft, to go to India, it was not for India, but for the front, and we all was sent there, and now I am wounded in the right thigh and left shoulder, and sent to hear[sic]. I came out from the hospital last Tuesday, 35 of us in number, but never mind I have had some of my own back before I was wounded, I dare say that you I[sic] will be sorry to hear about me, I have done my best, which it will prove to you, well cheer up, perhaps I shall have the pleasure of seeing you again, please excuse my writing as my shoulder is rather painful, I am dismissed from all parades, as I am in too much pain to do it, so they have put me in this shop at my trade to do what I can, but never mind, no doubt that I shall get over it, the same as I did when I was in South African War.
Dear Friend Frank, please write and let me know how you are getting on, and then I will send you my photo, I enjoyed myself at Cardiff, when I was with you, and are you still working in Cardiff on the same works, if you are, please remember me to Bill, I am awaiting for a (Medical Board) so I dare say, that I may might get discharged from the Army, as medically unfit from any more service, as the doctor and colenol[sic] here has recommended me for my (Discharge), but I shall get my pension, as they cannot take it away from me, so now I must close this letter, hoping to hear from you soon, so cheer up and not be down hearted, wishing you the best of health & etc, so goodbye.

P.S. You will find that I have a new number (51589) my old number is (39012).

I remain,
Yours truly Friend
Pte Reg No 51589, Reg Tailor
Tailors Shop, 3rd Batt R.W.F.
Bebington Camp
Rock Ferry
Cheshire England

3rd (R) Batt, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
R.W.F.

[shred]

Here are the documents that I have sent to Tony.

The medal card shows no sign of any medals being issued.



Charles' entry in the SWB book clearly states that he was discharged due to sickness and it also states that he never served abroad.



Can anyone offer an explanation as to why there is conflicting evidence in this case?

[prospectroad]

Although there are no medals on the MIC, there is a note saying he applied for his medals in November 1927.

Could there have been a clerical error which meant he didn't receive the medals he was entitled to?

[shred]

Jul 12, 2012 19:34:18 GMT prospectroad said:

Although there are no medals on the MIC, there is a note saying he applied for his medals in November 1927.

Could there have been a clerical error which meant he didn't receive the medals he was entitled to?

I have suggested this scenario to Tony (Salfordonline) but the SWB entry still suggests that he was discharged due to illness and it is clearly shows that he did not serve abroad. I have asked Tony to let me know of any information that the Welsh Fusilier Museum pass on. I hope that this information proves that Charles served abroad.