Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Main image is extracted from SA State Records  Image.   Surname: HITCH; Given Names: Francis Joseph; Date of Birth: 10 December 1898; Date of Enlistment: 14 May 1918; Trade or Calling: Labourer; Birth Location: Hammond; Address prior to enlistment: Wilmington; Photograph sent by: Mrs F Hitch  SA State records

5th Reinforcements 27th Battalion

The voyage appears to have taken 3 months, leaving Austrlaia in August but not arriving in the UK until November - disembarking 14 Nov 1918 - after the Armistice.  Therefore Private Hitch did not see active service and  was ineligible for the Victory Medal.

Soldiers arriving late on the timeline like this were the lowest on the priority list for return to Australia.  They were destined to spend most of their time langusihing in training camps on  the Salisbury Plain. Private Hitch had a few spells in hospital in the middle of 1919.

Time in hospital was not without risk - the so-called Spanish Flu epidemic was sweeping Europe.  Many Australian soldiers, particularly the wounded, survived the war only to succumb to the flu.  However Private Francis Hitch was spared that fate and was eventually embarked for return to Austrlaia in december 1918.

RTA Konegin Luise Embarked UK 18 Dec 1919 - Disembarked 2 Feb 1920

Dischraged at Keswick Barracks on the 10th March 1920

British War Medal - 23989

Deceased 12 December 1986

There would appear to be a number of relatives who served based on memorials in the local area. Wimington, Melrose Port Augusta and Wirrabara.