The Intelligencer January 14, 1918 (page 6)
“Memorial Service for Lieut. Murray. A memorial service was conducted last evening at St. Thomas’ Church by the Ven. Archdeacon Beamish for the late Flight Lieut. William Douglas Gillespie Murray, son of Mr. John W. Murray, manager of the Dominion Bank branch at Belleville. The young aviator had barely passed his eighteenth birthday and was only overseas a short time on active service with the Royal Flying Corps when he was wounded, death resulting on January 3, 1918.
The young Flight-Lieutenant was a member of St. Thomas’ Church; he was born in June 1899, at Belleville, baptized in October of the same year and confirmed on Whitsunday, 1915. He started training as an aviator at Toronto last summer and went overseas in the fall. …
Fifty boys and girls from the High School, playmates and schoolmates of the aviator who has laid his young life on the altar of his country, attended the service, and at their comrade’s death, but proud for his achievement and heroic sacrifice.
The beautiful Anglican service for the dead was conducted with appropriate hymns and organ selections by Prof. Wheatley and the choir, while a Requiem solo was sweetly sung by Miss Mildred Fagan.”
The Intelligencer January 14, 1918 (page 6)
“Wrigley’s With the land forces and with the fleet. Wrigley’s gives solace in the long watch, it freshens and refreshes, steadies nerves, allays thirst, helps appetite and digestion.
‘After every meal’ The Flavour Lasts. Keep your boy supplied.”
The Intelligencer January 14, 1918 (page 7)
“Memorial Service. Despite the severe stormy weather prevailing on Sunday night a large congregation assembled at the John Street Presbyterian Church in this city, where a memorial service was held for the late Private Marston Hitchon, who recently died from wounds received while on active service. A number of the members of the Great War Veterans Association were present in addition to many in khaki.
The pastor, Rev. D. C. Ramsay, conducted the services and preached an appropriate discourse, referring to Pte. Hitchon, whose death removed a young man who was a member of the church, and took an active part in church and Sunday School work. His loss was deeply mourned by all who knew the brave young man. During the service the choir rendered in an effective manner the hymn ‘Crossing the Bar.’
Pte. Marston Hitchon was a son of Mr. Joseph Hitchon of this city, and enlisted and went overseas with the 155th Battalion. He had been in France but a short time when he was fatally wounded. Marston had the graceful manner of a true gentleman and also ability. He was a graduate of the Belleville High School, at which seat of learning he was a general favorite. In sports he excelled, capturing the junior championship in 1914 and intermediate in 1915.”
[Note: Private Marson Hosie Hitchon died on August 2, 1917. He is commemorated on Page 256 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.]
First World War Belleville 