Dennis George Wyldebore Hewitt
Second Lieutenant, 14th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
- Register No.
- 565 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Second Lieutenant all Second Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 14th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment all Hampshire Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 31 July 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 14th September, 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 18th December, 1897 at Mayfair, London
- Died
- 31st July, 1917 near Ypres, Belgium. (killed in action)
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- on Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium
Digest of citation
On 31st July, 1917 north-east of Ypres, Belgium, when his first objective had been captured, Second Lieutenant Hewitt reorganised his company and moved forward. Whilst waiting for the barrage to lift, he was hit by a piece of shell which exploded the signal lights in his haversack, and set fire to his equipment and clothes. He extinguished the flames and then, in spite of his wounds and severe pain, he led forward the remnants of the company under a very heavy machine-gun fire and captured and consolidated his objective. He was subsequently killed by a sniper while inspecting that the consolidation and encouraging hishis men
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HEWITT, Dennis George Wyldebore. (reg No. 565).
Second Lieutenant. 14th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment.
London Gazetted on 14th September, 1917.
Born on 18th December, 1897 at Mayfair, London.
Died on 31st July, 1917 near Ypres, Belgium. (killed in action).
Memorial on Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.
Digest of Citation reads:. On 31st July, 1917 north-east of Ypres, Belgium, when his first objective had been captured, Second Lieutenant Hewitt reorganised his company and moved forward. Whilst waiting for the barrage to lift, he was hit by a piece of shell which exploded the signal lights in his haversack, and set fire to his equipment and clothes. He extinguished the flames and then, in spite of his wounds and severe pain, he led forward the remnants of the company under a very heavy machine-gun fire and captured and consolidated his objective. He was subsequently killed by a sniper while inspecting that the consolidation and encouraging hishis men.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: on Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
Research this recipient further
Would you like to honour Dennis George Wyldebore Hewitt by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.