It is with much regret and sadness that I must inform you that Jim Hitches died at his home in Felixstowe on the evening of 23 September.

The Funeral of the late Jim Hitches will take place on Thursday 6 October at 1415hrs.

At the Seven Hills Crematorium, Nacton Ipswich IP10 0FG.

Family Flowers only but donations if desired to St. Elizabeth Hospice c/o Sharon Wilding Undertakers, 213 High Street Walton, Felixstowe IP11 9BQ.The East England Co-operative Society.

Afterwards at the Royal British Legion Club Felixstowe.

 ________________________________________

The Funeral of Jim Hitches

by

Major RD Cassidy MBE(retd)

Major-General Jamie Balfour and Brigadier Christopher Dunphie who Jim served with are unable to be here today, they have asked me to represent them and to tell one and all what an important cog Jim was in the Regimental family-I am delighted for Jim and this congregation to do so. 

James or Jim as he was always known was as laid back and content as you could imagine and in all the years I have known him he appeared to have a finger in every pie, never aggressive but always assertive in his views, be they right or wrong.

It was in the book the Last Campaign of The Rifle Brigade, this all about Borneo; that he titled his own article Supplier of Everything it just about summed him up, it was there he took to wearing a native sarong which led to many ribald Rifleman remarks which, Reverend Wells, in this place are certainly unrepeatable. He began to look so local that one of the Dyak trackers asked Jim to be best man at his wedding-he did so-but that is another story.

He was proud of the fact that even in the jungle base at Gunan Gajak he carried a mill-board to make out he was busy, something he had been doing for most of his service, affectionately terming the millboard as his best mate.

But I am ahead of myself let us start where Jim`s life began,

He was born James Michael Hitches in Portsmouth on the 15th of January 1938, little then would the Hitches family have known of the terrible bombing devastation that was to descend on Portsmouth, soon to happen after Great Britains declaration of war on the Germans in September of 1939.

Jim`s sister Pat who is here today would perhaps know of this, also here is Jim`s nephew Ian (Shaw) who served with the 3RGJ band.

On leaving school he firstly worked in a garage until the age of 16 then went into the Merchant Navy; this ended to say the least, unsatisfactory for Jim, for his ship was sunk during the Suez Crisis, so to ensure he kept his feet on the ground he joined the Green Jackets Brigade and into 3 Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade, in the March of 1959.

Although Jim was never a great engine of war and nor would he have wanted to be, he was always dedicated in what ever he undertook throughout his Regimental career, which ended in March of 1983. He was an asset to have around. Perhaps best summed up by someone who wrote:

He was an outstanding man that did much in the background and in my opinion, never got the recognition he deserved.

Jim in retirement was just as dedicated in civilian employment, and Committee members of the Suffolk Branch of the RGJ Association, of which he was one, will agree he was continuing this dedication up until he died.

Interestingly some 32 local (Suffolk) girls married members of the Regiment and there is no doubt the highlight of Jim`s life was when he met Pam who became his wife on the 21st of January 1967 in Felixstowe. Sadly Pam died in March 2003, a loss not only to the family but to all of us who knew her.

Jim was considered to be a thoughtful husband; though his attempts at DIY were not always up to Pam`s standards and therefore left for others to do, generally this involved Tommy fixing whatever had to be done. Jenny reminds us that Jim had a heart of gold and would never see anyone down, and if necessary give you his last pound; his grasp of modern technology was non-existent and the Sky remote was just that, remote. Typically he managed to overcome these irritations and one solution was to have in his spectacle case a piece of paper with instructions on how to record on his Sky Box.

He loved his Portsmouth football team; his dog Jody, enjoyed television and also a good old fashion knees up.

During his twenty-four years with the regiment he saw service in far flung places such as Germany, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Malaya, Borneo, Northern Ireland, Singapore, Berlin and North Africa.

Jim was appreciated by so many and one a seasoned WO1 on commissioning has written:

When I joined 3RGJ in Oakington (1981) as the MTO and later Families Officer, Jim was my right hand man, able to sort out any problem that arose, especially the move to Celle an excellent character within the Mafia thank you Jim

It was in Germany that Jenny and Tommy were to meet and marry, from that time with Pam and Jim they became a loveable and enjoyable foursome. Sadly this is no more, not only for Jenny and Tom but all of us who knew them.

Pam and Jim have both left us all with memories of fun and amusement.

Ron Cassidy - 6 October 2011