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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

The first man from Stepney to get the VC?


Guest garyorchard

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Guest garyorchard

There has alway been a story in my family that my great uncle John (Jack) Hewitt was the first man from Stepney to be awarded the VC, I don't think that this is correct because he isn't on any of the VC recipients lists. I have checked through the London Gazette archive and can't find a record of him receiving any medals, yet my late grandmother who was born in 1898 and was his younger sister, always insisted that he was awarded a medal for bravery which was presented at Buckingham Palace.

Does anyone know anything about him, or is it just a family story?

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Gary,

Looking at the DCM awards there is one J.J. Hewitt, a few other Hewitts but only this one with the initial J. Could this be your great uncle

Corporal J.J. Hewitt, # 11460, Royal Garrison Artillery, Distinguished Conduct Medal, London Gazette 12/12/17.

Andy

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Guest garyorchard

Thank you for the information, I would say that this was my great uncle apart from one thing, I looked up the medal card for John J Hewitt on the national archives and he is listed as "died between 29.4.16 - 25.4.17". This is strange as the report of his DCM was in the London Gazette dated 12.12.17. I know he survived the war, because he was at my parents wedding in the 1950's.

Is it possible that the medal card could be wrong, or have I got the wrong J Hewitt.

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