William Thomas Hitchen
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Hitchen was the captain of the local Rifle Club in Gilgandra, New South Wales, Australia
. He organised a recruiting march
from Gilgandra to Sydney in late 1915. The march was an enormous success, with 263 recruits at the end.
Hitchen was born in Mudgee. In 1915 Hitchen was a married plumber of Gilgandra as well as being captain of the local rifle club. He is credited with originating the idea of the snowball march together with his brother R G Hitchen, as well as organising the march. he also assisted in organising the Kookaburra March.
He enlisted in October 1915 but attestation forms were only signed at Bathurst
in February 1916. W.T. Hitchen’s AIF
number was 1677, his unit as the 45th Infantry Battalion, which was in the 12th Brigade, of the 4th Division. He declared his age at attestation as being 44. However at this death less than a year later his age was given as 52. Pte William Thomas Hitchen died of "Melanotic Sarcona" ( he was ill with diabetes) on 3 September 1916 and is buried in the Harefield
(St Mary) churchyard in Middlesex, England.
William Thomas's son, William James had joined the AIF in July 1915. At that time, he was just over 19 years old and his occupation at enlistment was plumber.
Gilgandra, New South Wales
Gilgandra, is a town and Local Government Area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the junction of the Newell Highway, Oxley Highway and Castlereagh Highway. It can be reached in about six hours by car from Sydney. Like Coonabarabran, Gilgandra can be...
. He organised a recruiting march
Snowball marches
During World War I, recruitment marches or snowball marches to Sydney were a feature of volunteer recruiting drives for the Australian Imperial Force in rural New South Wales, Australia. Between October 1915 and February 1916, nine marches were held starting from various points in the state; the...
from Gilgandra to Sydney in late 1915. The march was an enormous success, with 263 recruits at the end.
Hitchen was born in Mudgee. In 1915 Hitchen was a married plumber of Gilgandra as well as being captain of the local rifle club. He is credited with originating the idea of the snowball march together with his brother R G Hitchen, as well as organising the march. he also assisted in organising the Kookaburra March.
He enlisted in October 1915 but attestation forms were only signed at Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
in February 1916. W.T. Hitchen’s AIF
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
number was 1677, his unit as the 45th Infantry Battalion, which was in the 12th Brigade, of the 4th Division. He declared his age at attestation as being 44. However at this death less than a year later his age was given as 52. Pte William Thomas Hitchen died of "Melanotic Sarcona" ( he was ill with diabetes) on 3 September 1916 and is buried in the Harefield
Harefield
Harefield is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon in northwest London, England. It is situated on top of a hill, northwest of Charing Cross, near the Greater London boundary with Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the north...
(St Mary) churchyard in Middlesex, England.
William Thomas's son, William James had joined the AIF in July 1915. At that time, he was just over 19 years old and his occupation at enlistment was plumber.