Able Seaman E M Hitchen - Family Headstone

Inscription:
In ever loving remembrance of / Walter Charles, /
The beloved son of George Major & Sarah / Jane Hitchen, /
Who died Feby 7th 1920, / Aged 24 years. /
Also Ezra Major, their son / Who fell in action in France, /
April 28th 1917, Aged 27 years. / Their memory like the ivy clings. /
Also the above named / Sarah Jane Hitchen / Who died July 19th 1933,
Aged 67 years. / also the above named /George Major Hitchen /
Who died Feby 9th 1947, Aged 84 years. / Re-united //

Headstone Location:
U/C 6, 989A
Wombwell Cemetery, S73 8HY, South Yorkshire.
Ezra is not buried within this grave. His last known resting place remains unknown.

Memorials that commemorate Ezra M Hitchen include:
St. Mary's Church War Memorial, Park Street, Wombwell, South Yorks.
Arras Memorial, Bay 1, France.

Links for Ezra Major Hitchen:
Casualty Details - CWGC.org
Headstone at findagrave.com
Bio at Wombwell soldiers remembered

Read and help build Ezra Major Hitchen's life story at:
Livesofthefirstworldwar.org

Able Seaman Ezra Major Hitchen

E M Hitchen - Barnsley Chronicle 19th May 1917.
Image with thanks to the Barnsley Archives.

Born on February 16th 1890 at Monk Bretton to George and Sarah Jane Hitchen. Prior to the outbreak of WW1 Ezra lived with his grandparents William and Louisa Dinsdale at Old Road, Smithies. According to the 1911 census he was employed as a laborer on the colliery surface.

Able Seaman Ezra Major Hitchen was killed in action on 28th April 1917 while serving with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves, Anson Bn, R.N Div. He died aged 27. In a letter written to Ezra's mother, his army Chaplain describes how he fell during the battalion's last advance:

" [he] was killed in our in our last advance by a high explosive shell while he was working his Lewis gun. In spite of the fact that we were under heavy fire, he stuck to his gun to the last, fighting bravely."

WW1 Lewis gun.
Image from Wikipedia

In another letter, subsequently printed in the Barnsley Chronicle on May 12th 1917, Ezra's commanding officer Sub-Lieut Fraser described the brave seaman as:

              "obedient and dutiful"  he then went on say "and his death was at a time was at at time when he was following me without fear or flinching in the stern pursuit of duty."

Headstone in Wombwell cemetery commemorating
Ezra Major Hitchen.

Despite the chaplain's letter stating Ezra was to be interred with a cross to mark the grave. The CWGC.org does not give an official grave site but instead lists him as being remembered on the Arras memorial (meaning he has no known grave.). Ezra is also commemorated on the war memorial by St. Mary's Church, Wombwell and on his parents grave in Wombwell cemetery.

"His King and country called him,

The call was not in vain;

On Britain's roll of honour,

You'll find our loved one's name."

- Taken From Ezra's Obituary in the Barnsley Chronicle.