Geoffrey Clayton JITTS [1919-1941] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Geoffrey Clayton JITTS [1919-1941]

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Submitted by moddsey on Fri, 2022-01-21 11:31
Names
Given: 
Geoffrey Clayton
Family: 
Jitts
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
1919-04-01
Death
Date: 
1941-12-19
Cause of death: 
Killed in action

Private G. C. Jitts of the HKVDC was killed in action in the Battle of Wong Nei Chong Gap. His heroics are mentioned in the China Mail dated 1 January 1946. See here . 

Tags: 
HKVDC
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1946

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Submitted by annpake on Fri, 2022-01-21 20:38.

He was the second son in the large family  of Oh Seng Jitts (1887 Straits Settlements - 1949 Australia) and Ethel Emily Roberts  (1891 West Ham Essex UK - 1986 Australia)

The letter writer referred to in the newspaper might have been his mother Mrs O S Jitts.

Submitted by eurasian_david on Fri, 2022-01-21 22:46.

Birth: 1st April 1919

 

First Name: Geoffrey Clayton

Initials: G C

Surname: Jitts

Nationality: British

Date of Death: 19/12/1941

Rank: Private

Service: British Army

Regiment: Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps

 

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First Name: G C

Surname: Jitts

Nationality: African

Rank: Private

Gazette Info: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37521/supplement/1672

Gazette Date: 04/04/1946

Gazette Page: 1672

Duty Location: Hong Kong (including the defence of Hong Kong in 1941)

Regiment: Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps

Service: Army

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Gravestone at Stanley Military Cemetery

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Private Geoffrey Clayton Jitts in UK Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects under RG33: Foreign Registers and Returns 

Serial Number: 127

Rank: Private

Christian Names: Geoffrey Clayton 

Surname: JITTS

Regiment or Firm etc: H.K. Vol. Def. Corps

Date of Death: 19th December 1941

Locality: Hong Kong

Cause of Death: Killed in action 

Date of Certificate: 14.3.46

Signed by: M.A. WILLIS

Source of Information: S.B.2687

Reference No.: 10033/2c/42

Verified by: R.C.C.

 

Jitts, Geoffrey Clayton, Private,  3 Coy HKVDC

Died of wounds received in action (DOW) defending JLO 2 in catchwater. Commendation

Source: Page page 154 Tony Banham's "Not the Slightest Chance: The Defence of Hong Kong, 1941"

Also on Page 132 Tony Banham's "Not the Slightest Chance: The Defence of Hong Kong, 1941"

Submitted by Admin on Mon, 2022-01-24 15:09.
c   Jitts, Geoffrey Clayton Assistant, Andersen, Meyer & Co., Ld. 2 Peace Avenue, Homuntin,

Submitted by Tideswell27 on Tue, 2022-01-25 11:34.

Nationality "African??"

I wouldn't have thought so!

Submitted by eurasian_david on Tue, 2022-01-25 16:02.

Me too, but that is not a typo error.

I have no idea but it may be a colonial admin quirk. For example my aunt is Eurasian (half English, half Chinese) but in the 1960s during  the apartheid era, when she visited South Africa she would have been classed as 'Black' administratively when filling out forms. Basically non 100% White = Black (despite then having 'Cape Coloureds'). Jitts was Eurasian, don't know if that had anything to do with it as he has nothing to do with Africa as far as I can tell.