William Hewitt – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Defence

 Stoker 1^st Class William Hewitt – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Defence

Early Life

William Hewitt 

William Hewitt was born in 1890 in Swansea, the son of David and Rachel Hewitt.

1891 Census

In the 1891 Census, the family were living at Dunvant, Swansea. David, aged 42, was a Llanrhidian‑born coal miner, and his wife Rachel, aged 43, was born in Carmarthenshire. Their children at home were John, 18, also a coal miner; Mary, 14, a servant; Thomas, 12; Daniel, 10; Catherine, 7; Isaac and Jacob, both 3; and William, aged 1. Also present were David’s brother Thomas Hewitt, 23, and sister Anne Hewitt, 20.

1901 Census

By 1901, the family had moved to Voylart, Dunvant, Swansea. David, now 52, continued to work as a coal miner, and Rachel was 55. Their children still at home were Daniel, 20, a tailor; Catherine, 17; Isaac and Jacob, both 13; and William, 11.

1911 Census

In the 1911 Census, the family were still residing at Voylart Road, Dunvant. David, aged 62, remained employed as a coal miner, and Rachel was 63. Their children still living at home were Daniel, 30, a tailor; Catherine, 27; Isaac, 23; and William, 21, with both Isaac and William working as coal miners.

Royal Navy Service

William later enlisted in the Royal Navy, serving as a Stoker 1^st Class on board the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Defence.

H.M.S. Defence at the Battle of Jutland

H.M.S. Defence

H.M.S. Defence was a Minotaur‑class armoured cruiser, launched in 1907 and serving as the flagship of the 1^st Cruiser Squadron under Rear‑Admiral Sir Robert Arbuthnot. During the Battle of Jutland on 31^st May 1916, Defence was part of the cruiser screen ahead of the British battle fleet.

In the late afternoon, Admiral Arbuthnot manoeuvred his squadron to engage what he believed to be a damaged German vessel. This brought Defence and the cruiser H.M.S. Warrior directly across the path of the German battle line. At approximately 6:20 p.m., Defence came under intense fire from several German battleships and battlecruisers, including SMS Friedrich der Grosse and SMS Derfflinger. Multiple heavy shells struck the ship, one penetrating her magazines and causing a catastrophic explosion.

H.M.S. Defence was destroyed instantly, sinking with the loss of all 903 officers and men. There were no survivors. The loss of the ship was one of the most devastating single moments of the battle and demonstrated the vulnerability of older armoured cruisers when exposed to modern heavy naval artillery.

Stoker 1^st Class William Hewitt was among those who perished.

Commemoration

William Hewitt
Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth
credit - findagrave

William Hewitt is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, which honours those who have no known grave but the sea