Victoria Cross

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Admitted to Hospital Ship 'Nevasa', Gallipoli, 14 September 1915; transferred to No 1 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, 19 September 1915; to Convalescent Camp, Heliopolis, 25 September 1915; embarked Alexandria, 10 October 1915; returned to duty, Gallipoli, 17 October 1915.

Taken on strength of 3rd Brigade Headquarters, 19 October 1915.

Promoted Captain, Gallipoli, 28 October 1915.

Seconded to duty as Brigade Machine Gun Officer, 3rd Light Horse Brigade, Gallipoli, 28 October 1915.

Sent to hospital, 22 November 1915; embarked on Hospital Ship 'Gloucester Castle', 23 November 1915 (enteric); disembarked Malta and admitted to St Andrew's Hospital, 29 November 1915; embarked Malta for convalescence in Palermo, Sicily, 29 December 1915; embarked for Egypt, 24 January 1916; disembarked Alexandria. 28 January 1916; Returned to duty with the 8th Light Horse Regiment, Heliopolis, 4 February 1916.

Marched out to Serapeum, 26 February 1916.

Transferred to 58th Bn, 29 April 1916; taken on strength of 58th Bn from 8th Light Horse Regiment, 29 April 1916.

Promoted Major, Moascar, 30 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Posted missing and placed on Seconded List, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 6 August 1916, pronounced 'that [Major Hutchinson] was Killed in Action unless during the ensuring six months his name should appear in any Hospital List or in List of Prisoners of War'.

Struck off the strength of 58th Bn, 19 October 1916.

Ruling by the Assistant Adjutant General, 23 April 1917, to now be reported as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 1400406, 3257 Pte G.H. SMYTHE, 58th Bn, 4 August 1916: 'I was with Major Hutchinson as we went across in the charge at Fleurbaix on July 19th. We got across nearly to the first line German trenches and lay down for the next advance. He said "Don't get too close together boys, spread out in the next run." We got up and went forward. As we rose he was hit and fell (in a heap). I was wounded soon after and managed to crawl back to our lines. When I get back I heard one of the officers ask a wounded man how Major Hutchinson was getting on. The man replied that he was dead. Evidently he died where I saw him fall.'

Second statement, 2030 Corporal M. TAYLOR, 58th Bn (patient, Queen's Hospital, Birmingham, England), 5 August 1916: 'Informant states that on July 20th 1916 at Armentieres district he saw Major Hutchinson who was shot through the face taking his men back to their trenches after the attack and he heard he couldn't live. Informant lay wounded at the time.'

Third statement, 2611 Pte S. DANIELLS, D Company, 58th Bn (patient, Queen Mary's Royal Naval Hospital, Southend-on-Sea, England), 6 August 1916: 'Informant states that on 19th July, 1916 at Sailley (sic), Armentieres, he saw above lying dead opposite the 57th Battalion. He was not there long enough to see how Major Hutchinson was hit, but thinks a bullet caught him.'

Fourth statement, 2689 Pte W. JONES, 58th Bn (patient, Rust Hall VAD Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, England), 5 August 1916: 'Informant states that on July 19/16 at Fleurbaix? (sic) (Armentieres district) Major Hutchinson who was informant's Co. Major was in a charge about 6.30 p.m. Informant was told by men who came back wounded from the charge that Major Hutchinson was seen on the German parapet, and his dead body was also seen later.'

Fifth statement, 2642 Sergeant A.L.GLOVER, 58th Bn (patient, St John's Hospital, Hastings, England), 7 August 1916: 'Informant states that it is generally rumoured in the Regiment that in the advance of 20th July in front of Armentieres Major Hutchinson with several others was blown to pieces by the explosion of a large shell.'

Sixth statement, 3624 Pte S.G. PARKER, 58th Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 12 August 1916: 'Went over the parapet with us and about half way across I saw him, he got up[,] gave an order and fell back dead - about ½ an hour after I saw him still lying there, I knew he was dead ... '

Seventh statement, 2601 Pte F.A. CLARKE, 58th Bn (patient, Fir Vale Hospital, Sheffield, England), 12 August 1916: 'Informant states that on July 19th in the evening at Fleurbaix, France, Major Hutchinson had just given an order to retire and the Platoon was lying down in No Man's Land when he was shot through the head. Informant subsequently heard that he had been killed.'

Eighth statement, 4495 Pte A. GRAY, C Company, 58th Bn (patient Fulham Military Hospital, England), 12 August 1916: 'On July 20th there was a report in the Regiment that during the German bombardment Major Hutchinson was blown to pieces by a shell: his body was not found.'

Ninth statement, 3010 Pte S.J. BROAD, C Company, 58th Bn (patient, The Crescent Hospital, Croydon, England), 14 August 1916: '[On the] night of 20th at Armentieres we charged and when we retired Major Hutchinson as left behind with a broken leg. The Germans came over the ground afterwards and he must have been taken prisoner.'