The late Flight-Lieutenant Robert E. Hitchcock was born at Fremantle in 1912. He was the son of the late R. S. (Bobby) Hitchcock who with Lieutenant Keith Anderson perished from thirst in the Northern Territory while on a search for the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.
He had been married three years and leaves a widow and an infant son.
Flight-Lieutenant Hitchcock was educated in Perth and was accepted for a cadetship in the R.A.A.F in 1935. He was posted to No 21 Squadron in 1936 and promoted to Flight-Lieutenant in March 1939.
Two younger brothers are in the R.A.A.F. One is at Flemington as a sergeant instructor on air frames and the other was to have left for Point Cook today for a three months course in armouring. He was granted leave in Perth when news of the tragedy was received.
'Hitchcock, Robert E. (1912–1940)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/hitchcock-robert-e-496/text497, accessed 20 April 2024.
1912
Fremantle,
Western Australia,
Australia
13 August,
1940
(aged ~ 28)
Canberra,
Australian Capital Territory,
Australia