Sergeant Ernest H Hewitt MM

Ernest Hamilton Hewitt was born on the 24 August 1921 in Glasgow, Scotland.

He was known as ‘Ernie’ to his family, but as ‘Jock’ to those he served in the Army with.

He enlisted into The Royal Regiment of Artillery on the 3 February 1939, and was serving with a Searchlight Regiment in England when he volunteered for Airborne Forces. [1]

Ernest was officially transferred to The Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps, on the 3 November 1943, and would have been sent to Hardwick Hall to undergo the selection and ‘toughening up’ process.

He did Parachute Course 94, at RAF. Ringway, 6 – 20 December 1943. His Parachute Instructors comments: ‘Good confident jumper, will make a good paratroop.’

He was initially sent to the Holding Company at the Depot & School Airborne Forces at Hardwick Hall, before being posted to the 21st Independent Parachute Company in Lincolnshire, where he was assigned to 3 Platoon. Between early 1944 and September 1944 he was promoted to Lance Corporal.

On Sunday, 17 September 1944 he emplaned in one of twelve Stirling aircraft at RAF. Fairford, which would fly to Holland as part of Operation ‘Market-Garden’. He was one of the Pathfinders that would mark the dropping and landing zones for the parachute aircraft and gliders bring in the First Lift of the 1st Airborne Division to the West of Arnhem.

He dropped successfully and took part in the ensuing nine day battle to secure a crossing over the Lower Rhine. Although wounded, he withdrew back across the Lower Rhine to Allied lines on the night of the 25/26 September 1944.

For his actions at Arnhem he was awarded the Military Medal. His Citation reads as follows:

On the 23 September 1944 this NCO was manning a Bren gun in a house which was largely destroyed by a heavy mortar. Although buried in the debris and suffering from an injury to his back, he extricated his gun and brought it into action again. On the 24 September in the morning he was wounded but refused to leave his position. Finally he led his section out over the river though barely able to walk.

Lance-Corporal Barclay, also of No.3 Platoon, advises that the above description may not be accurate: “...events appear to have been concertinaed somewhat. They did not necessarily take place on 23 and 24 September as depicted. {I} vividly remember being one of several people who assisted Jock to walk out on the final withdrawal on night of 25/26 September as Jock had multiple shrapnel wounds from airburst mortar bomb in his legs and thighs. Despite much pain, he made it.”

On the 15 November 1944 his local paper, The Herald, printed a short article about him, and his brother:

MILTON.

DOUBLE HONOUR FOR MILTON FAMILY.

Corporal Ernest Hewitt, of the 21st Independent Paratroop Coy, whose parents reside at 6 Beechtree Terrace, Milton of Campsie, has been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous service at Arnhem. He was an apprentice watchmaker before the war. He joined the Territorials early in 1939, and was mobilized on August 24 of that year into the RA. He volunteered for the paratroops in 1943.

His brother, CSM. Mitchell Hewitt, of the 2nd HLI. was at a recent investiture at Buckingham Palace presented with the Military Medal awarded to him in 1943 at El Alamein.

We have seen a copy of the personal letter received by the Commanding Officer of Corporal Hewitt’s paratroop unit from a high-ranking officer. He describes the unit as unsurpassed by any other in the world, and instructs the OC to tell his men of the terrific reputation they have earned.

By 1945, and now a Sergeant, he went on to serve in the Army Air Corps Holding Battalion, at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire.

He was released to the Z/T Reserve on the 24 July 1946. [1]

After his release from the Army, ‘Ernie’ married and settled in Bordon in Hampshire.

‘Ernie’ Hewitt died on the 21 January 2004.

NOTES:

[1] The Parachute Regiment, Transfer & Enlistment Book 14, page 73.