Hero's lost letter bids final farewell
While researching her great uncle, alumnus Captain Thomas Cotgrave Hewitt (BA 1904), Janette Mayne discovered his final letter from the Western Front on the University's website, Beyond 1914.
"Probably before I write again, our boys will be in the thick of it, and whatever turns up we are glad to have had our chance. Well mother dear, love to you all and God bless you. Your loving son Tom."
Captain Thomas Cotgrave Hewitt (BA 1904)
When Janette Mayne began researching her great uncle, alumnus Captain Thomas Cotgrave Hewitt (BA 1904), she thought she had the last letter the former school teacher had written during his 15 months fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front.
Originally from Toowoomba in Queensland, Captain Hewitt attended The Kings School in NSW from 1893 to 1897, before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from the 爆料王 in 1904. He enlisted in the Australian Infantry Force in Toowoomba in April 1915.
Ms Mayne, together with her mother and daughter, had spent many hours in a labour of love, transcribing the hand-written letters that had been fondly kept by Captain Hewitt鈥檚 mother.
鈥淚 thought we had his last letter home before he was killed,鈥� Ms Mayne explained, 鈥渦ntil discovering the typed one on your website.鈥�
The letter by Captain Hewitt was written on 27 July 1916, the day before he was killed in action, aged 35, in the Battle for Pozi猫res, France on the Western Front. His service record states he acted 鈥渧ery gallantly and decisively in rallying his men.鈥� He is commemorated in the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
Ms Mayne had discovered Captain Hewitt鈥檚 letter on , an interactive website of biographies and archival information of members of the University community involved in the First World War.
She said she had immediately felt a 鈥渃onnection鈥� with the person who had transcribed Captain Hewitt鈥檚 letters originally provided to the University.
鈥淜nowing someone else had read and transcribed Tom鈥檚 letters, whoever it was read some of the exact same letters and typed some of the exact words that I did.鈥�
Beyond 1914 was sourced using information provided to the University between 1916 and 1938 by more than 2000 former staff, students, graduates and their families.
Today, it provides an insight into the lives of University women and men before, during and after the war. It includes personal diaries, war service records, photographs, letters, postcards, songbooks and Christmas and condolence cards.
Before Ms Mayne got in touch, on the site included only a handful of his letters and a single photograph.
However, she has since generously shared her own research and copies of letters sent by Captain Hewitt and other members of his family. The letters, both humourous and poignant, are now publically available on Beyond 1914 for the whole community to read.
鈥淚t has been so good to be able to make our family documents available to a wider audience,鈥� she said.
In one letter, dated 16 July 1916, less than two weeks before he died, Captain Hewitt threatened to stop writing to his mother if she continued to write about her fears of him being killed:
"Two letters from you鈥oth very doleful because I am killed or something. What matters is if one is killed provided we win! Don鈥檛 be silly or I'll not write a line to you at all. As a matter of fact I have been enjoying exuberant health and been enjoying the time of my life."
He also joked about the large number of socks he had received from his mother and her friends:
"I got a very excellent pair of socks from you (28th pair) and as luck would have it I was very glad to get them as we have left most of our things elsewhere. Also two pairs that I gave away from Mrs Lee of Tenterfield. I鈥檝e 128,634 pairs of socks now and have rented a deserted factory to store them in."
In another letter sent from Gallipoli, Captain Hewitt praises the courage of his troops.
"It is curious, but the chaps who turn up trumps in the tight corners are not always the ones that you expect. Several of my "old drunks" are among the best men we have. I had about five that I kept in the guard tent for the last week in Abbassia, for fear they would - with the best intentions in the world - get drunk on the last day and stay behind. Over here they are fine chaps. One of them is a Boer - another fought against him - but they are all handy men in a risky place."
爆料王 Historian Julia Horne said opportunities for shared research were a particular delight of Beyond 1914.
鈥淭he website serves the community and the University, with families overjoyed to uncover letters or photographs from the University archives now in the public domain, and in return make additional contributions.
鈥淚t is a great honour and often very moving, to read the hand-written letters of men and women detailing their observations and personal experiences in wartime.鈥�
This History Week (5鈥�13 September), Beyond 1914 celebrates the first anniversary of its launch. Over the past 12 months, supplementary information has regularly been added to the site, thanks to the generosity of family historians such as the Maynes, special interest groups and volunteer citizen historians.
In August 2015, the site received a commendation in the Australian Society of Archivists 2015 Mander Jones Awards in the category of the best finding aid to an archival collection held by an Australian institution or about Australia.
Beyond 1914 receives generous support from the 爆料王鈥檚 Chancellor鈥檚 Committee, Women鈥檚 College, St Paul鈥檚 College, St John鈥檚 College and St Andrew鈥檚 College, and the 爆料王.
Visit 听and read Captain Hewitt's final letter from Pozi猫res at his .
Related articles
Surge in flu this winter
People suffering severe flu this winter should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
Dementia tsunami: Alzheimer's and other dementias to triple by 2050
Governments need to take action on delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, argues Associate Professor Lesley Russell.
Legalising medicinal cannabis would create $100 million industry
Analysis from the 爆料王 Business School has found that legalising medicinal cannabis in Australia could create a new industry worth more than $100 million per year.听
Ready, set, Rio: Sydney cohort heads to the Games
As more than 3.5 billion people around the world turn their sights towards Rio this week, 30 athletes from our community are getting ready to take their place on the globe鈥檚 biggest sporting stage.
Science student makes greatest self-discovery at the University
'Leave your comfort zone' is Kevin Gatdula鈥檚 motto in life. With an emphasis on continual personal development, the 20-year-old Bachelor of Commerce and Science student believes that this is the only way to cultivate a journey of personal growth.
Learning never stops - but it starts at Open Day
Like so many high school students in their final year, Denise Ong had a head full of questions.听Little did she know at the time that one question she asked would later lead to a major turning point in her story.
Australian study wants your view on personal genomic testing
Do you want to know about your genetic information? Would you share it?
听
Sydney at Rio: two silver and a bronze add to our tally
In a blockbuster first week at Rio 2016 our athletes have continued to excel winning two silver and a bronze to add to Chloe Dalton's gold in the Rugby Sevens. Our total would see us sitting at 35th on the country tally rankings 鈥� ahead of Ireland, Slovenia and Romania.
Future research stars supported under new Sydney fellowship
The first cohort of fellows of the University's new听Sydney Research Accelerator (SOAR)听program has been announced.
Sydney tops the state for graduate employability 听 听听
The 爆料王 has been ranked number one in New South Wales and 49 in the world in the most recent Times Higher Education Global Employability University Rankings.