This is a difficult man to find - "R R nor E.R Ditchford" do not exist in Gazette, and "Hitchman Hall" does not exist. However "Hitcham Hall" does exist close to Ipswich. The Problem is that the people there in 1911 census are not his family. Though Frank Grant is a University Coach. Thier address is given as 17 Chesterton Hall Crescent, The Hall, Hitcham, Ipswich, Cambridge. So Hitcham Hall could refer to any address in the village
| GRANT, Frank | Head | Married | M | 46 | 1865 | Tutor: University Coach | Kent Margate | |||
| GRANT, Sibylla Christina | Wife | Married 6 years |
F | 48 | 1863 | Suffolk Hitcham | ||||
| GRANT, Charles Alexnader | Son | M | 4 | 1907 | Chesterton Cambridge | |||||
| BLOOMFIELD, Amelia Jane | Visitor | Married | F | 27 | 1884 | Suffolk Hitcham | ||||
| ROZIER, Faith Blanche Beatrice | Nurse Housemaid | Single | F | 14 | 1897 | Servant Domestic | Suffolk Hitcham | |||
Eventually I got a couple of references to him Ireland, but all said "E R Ditchford", perservering I then got his original statement showing him to be in fact "Litchford" and that was correct, as I could then get his commissioning, and the right man at last.
1899 Aug 1. Born St Helena, his father was an Army Officer
1901 census at Derby Road, Alfreton, Derbys
1911 census at 2 Alexandra Terrace Clarence Rd Bognor
1914 Married Margaret Fryer
1918 Sep 11 Commissioned 2nd Lt in Lincs Regt
1920 Aug 2. NLI has Letter from Edward Rowland Litchford to his mother, Mrs. E.V. Litchford of Roseleigh, Billdeston, Suffolk. From The Barracks, Tipperary. On notepaper with letterhead of Lincolnshire Regiment. Refers to escape of captured General and to raids on the mail.
1920 IRA Witness Statement At this time (probably about the autumn of 1920) I was 'on the run' and spent practically all my time with Donovan and some others who were also 'on the run' in the 7th Battalion area. I remember Donovan telling us that he had orders from G.H.Q. to shoot a Lieutenant Litchfield of the British Army who was then stationed in Killenaule, and Donovan in turn gave us orders that if the opportunity ever came our way we were to shoot Litchfield at sight. On a few occasions we went into Killenaule at night and patrolled the streets there but failed to see Lieutenant Litchfield
1920 Sep 7 Involved in a raid
1920 Nov 19 From Witness Statement 430. We also found some sacks of mail in the lorry which we loaded on to an old Ford car which Tom Malone had. In the search of the mails afterwards we found three silver medals - one which I possess now. It is inscribed, "To Lieutenant E.R. Litchford, Lincolnshire Regiment, for gallant conduct in Ireland, 19th November, 1920". Donnchadh Hannigan also got one belonging to a Sergeant; a lad named Paddy Buckley got another - a Corporal's. This was the first time I became aware they were awarded decorations for gallant conduct in Ireland.
1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment Regimental Medal for Gallantry in Ireland 1920-1921, silver, the obverse bearing the regimental badge, motto and battle honours of the 10th Regiment - the Lincolnshire Regiment, the reverse engraved with recipients name. Research by London Medal Co. suggests that there were only 12 awarded, and of these only 2 were to officers ( Lt L.B. Shepperd Folker and 2nd Lt L. Morley-Turner , with no mention of Litchford"
. Full report and more here
1931 Jan 24. Lt ER Litchford , R Tank Corps, appointed an assistant instructor at Tank Driving School
1934 Sep 20 Capt ER Litchford Tank Corps, is restored to the establishment
1939 Register A Major in R Tank Regt with wife Margaret at 73 Grove Pk Rd, Chislehurst , Kent
1946 Jan 23. Arrives UK from New York. An Army officer with Min of Supply
1954 May 28. Place on half pay list with hon rank of Colonel.
1984 Died Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk