Frederick Hitch
Private, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. (Later South Wales Borderers)
- Register No.
- 574 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. (Later South Wales Borderers) (register: 24th Regiment of Foot) all 24th Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 22–23 January 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Zulu War (Anglo-Zulu War)
- London Gazette
- 2nd May 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Born
- 28th November 1856 at Edmonton, London
- Died
- 7th January 1913 at Ealing, London
- Memorial / grave
- at St. Nicholas Churchyard, Old Chiswick, London
Digest of citation
On 22nd and 23rd January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Private Hitch and another man (See W.W. Allan. Reg. No. 21) kept communication with the hospital open, despite being severely wounded. Their determined conduct enabled the patients to be withdrawn from the hospital, and when incapacitated by their wounds from fighting, they continued, as soon as their wounds were dressed, to serve out ammunition to their comrades during the night
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HITCH, Frederick (Reg No 574)
Private 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. (Later South Wales Borderers)
London Gazetted on 2nd May 1879 Born on 28th November 1856 at Edmonton, London.
Died on 7th January 1913 at Ealing, London.
Memorial on grave at St. Nicholas Churchyard, Old Chiswick, London.
Digest of Citation reads: On 22nd and 23rd January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Private Hitch and another man (See W.W. Allan. Reg. No. 21) kept communication with the hospital open, despite being severely wounded. Their determined conduct enabled the patients to be withdrawn from the hospital, and when incapacitated by their wounds from fighting, they continued, as soon as their wounds were dressed, to serve out ammunition to their comrades during the night.
Additional information: Whilst he employed at the R.U.S. Institute, his Victoria Cross was stolen from his jacket. King Edward Vll ordered a new one to be made. It was presented to Mr. Hitch by Lord Roberts Later he became the owner of a cab, even later becoming a taxi driver. He was an unassuming man and extremely modest. It was only after his death at 63, Cranbrook St, Chiswick on the 7th of January 1913 that his colleagues realised that he was one of the heroes of Rorke's Drift.
Additional information
Whilst he employed at the R.U.S. Institute, his Victoria Cross was stolen from his jacket. King Edward Vll ordered a new one to be made. It was presented to Mr. Hitch by Lord Roberts Later he became the owner of a cab, even later becoming a taxi driver. He was an unassuming man and extremely modest. It was only after his death at 63, Cranbrook St, Chiswick on the 7th of January 1913 that his colleagues realised that he was one of the heroes of Rorke's Drift.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at St. Nicholas Churchyard, Old Chiswick, London
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