Born in 1920 at Harwich Twsp., Kent Co., ON. It was reported by T. Millard (relative), that Bruce was stationed in Halifax, NS. in 1944. Bruce passed away 4/02/1992 and is buried in the Morpeth Cemetary, Morpeth, ON. 

Curators note: A story by Bob Boughner came my way thanks to Fred Osmon who was doing research for one of his books no doubt. “Mystery of lost watch solved” – CDN date unknown.

“Fifty–four years ago a young man, who had just joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, lost his wrist watch trying on a new suit in a clothing store in Wingham, Ontario.

It turns out that the late Bruce Hitchcock’s watch fell off his arm while he was trying on the suit with the assistance of the clothing store manager Amoes Garrett.

After Hitchcock from Guilds, left the store, Garrett discovered the broken watch strap broken, hanging on the inside of the suit sleeve. A futile attempt was made by the tailor to locate Hitchcock and return his watch but to no avail.

A week ago a package arrived at the home of Hitchcock’s widow, Gwendoline Hitchcock in Guilds. It contained he late husbands watch and it now graces the arm of Hitchcocks grandson, 12 – year old Wyatt Hitchcock of Guilds 

Diane Slezak the daughter of the tailor, after discovering the watch, turned it over to a local war historian in Wellwood, Manitoba, who managed to trace down the rightful owner through records held by the Veterans Affairs office in Brandon, Manitoba 

Both Slezak and the war historian Cecil Pitman, contacted Hitchcock in Guilds and told her they had the watch and were planning to return it to its rightful owner. Hitchcock had died in 1992.

“At first I thought it was a hoax.” Said Hitchcock. “I didn’t even know that my husband had lost a watch nor was I aware he had purcheased a suit in Wingham.”

But she said the callers assured her it wasn’t a joke and that the watch would be returned.

It is even now in working condition thanks to the generosity of a jewler in Neepan, Manitoba – Dave Zake who replaced the crystal.” JRH.    

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

TBD-RH, CC-RH, LM-LP, BFL-B

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