HITCHINGS Albert Charles

Albert Hitchings was the son of Mr J.P. Hitchings of Holly Lodge, Wollaston, a director of Messrs Edward Webb & Sons (Stourbridge) Ltd. He was educated at Stourbridge Grammar School from 1903 to 1910 where he gained prizes for athletics.  He then attended Technical School, where he gained the students’ certificate for the Institute of Surveyors. Albert volunteered in Birmingham in 1914 for the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.  He was one of the original members of the 15th (2nd Birmingham City) Battalion and was in No. 13 Platoon of D Company.  He was soon promoted to Corporal.  The battalion crossed to France in November 1915 and was sent to the front line near Arras.  They then moved to the Somme in mid-July 1916 for the second phase of the Battle of the Somme.  The battalion was engaged in a major attack on High Wood on the 23rd July and suffered heavy casualties.  One of these was Corporal Albert Hitchings who was killed in action.  He was 21 years of age and he is also commemorated on his parents’ grave in Stourbridge Cemetery.

Albert Hitchings was born on 23rd November 1895.  He entered Form L.S.2 as a Day Scholar at King Edward VI Grammar School on 14th September 1903.  At the time of his admission to the school his father is recorded as J.P. Hitchings, a Manager at Seedsmen’s (Webb’s) and the family resided at Holly Lodge, Wollaston.  Albert had previously been educated at Miss Burford’s Priv. School (Prepy).  He left King Edward VI Grammar School from Form V on 23rd December 1910 and took employment in a surveyor’s office.

From King Edward VI Grammar School war record booklet:
Cpl., Royal Warwickshire Regt.; killed in action at High wood, France, July, 1916.

Albert Hitchings has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Thiepval Memorial.