Reginald Herbert Hitcham

A Private with the 4th Battalion, Reginald died on 13th of February 1942 aged 28. 

Reginald was born at Kirkley on 27 July 1913, a son of Henry and Louisa Hitcham. In 1921 his family lived at 42 Morton Road. This was still their home in 1939 when Reginald was a butcher’s shop assistant. 

In 1940 Reginald married Mina Edith McCann, this was registered in the Lothingland district.

Reginald served with the 4th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment. In autumn 1940 the Battalion was on coastal defence in the Great Yarmouth area and then moved to Brooke, and then Cambridge. In early 1941 the Battalion was sent to Scotland, then Blackburn, and Ross-on-Wye. On 29 October 1941 the Battalion sailed from Liverpool and landed at Bombay on 29 December 1941 as part of the 18th (East Anglian) Division. On 19 January 1942 the Battalion re-embarked for Singapore and landed there on 29 January 1942. On 11 February the Battalion went into action at the racecourse, before falling back to defend the perimeter. On 15 February the British forces at Singapore were forced to surrender and the remaining men of the 4th Battalion went into captivity. 

Reginald was official reported as missing on 15 February 1942. Official Casualty List 1910, of 14 November 1945, shows that John was officially recorded as having been killed in action on 13 February 1942. Reginald was killed in action at Bukit Timah. His body was found at the Racecourse, plan 19/1, map reference 787156.