Private 16567 Herbert Pitt

Died of Wounds on Monday, 1st March 1915, age 21.
Buried in Grave II. A. 2. at Loker Churchyard, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

3rd Bn., Worcestershire Regiment. 7th Brigade of 3rd Division.

Son of Mr William Pitt, of 20 Sedgley Road East, Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Dudley, Resident: Dudley Port.

First landed France & Flanders, 19th December 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Park Chapel Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2938146/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Herbert Pitt registered December quarter 1893 in Dudley.

1901 Census
Sedgley Road East, Tipton, Staffs.
William Pitt (38, widower, Puddler, born Malvern), and his 4 sons: William (17, Labourer, born Tipton), Samuel (13, Labourer, born Tipton), Frank (10, born Tipton), and Herbert (7, born Tipton).

1911 Census
20 Sedgley Road East, Tipton, Staffs.
Mary Ann Pitt (75, widow, born Worcester), her son William (48, widower, Puddler, born Malvern), and his 2 sons: William (27, Builder's Labourer, born Tipton), and Herbert (17, Builder's Labourer, born Tipton).

Personal Data

Herbert's brother, Samuel Pitt, died on 5th January 1917 in Salonika. Samuel's Soldier's Effects papers say that he died from burns.

After Herbert's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £4/19/6d (4 pounds, 19 shillings and 6 pence); this was paid to his father, William Pitt, in August 1915. His War Gratuity was £3/0/0d (3 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in July 1919. The value of the War Gratuity shows that Herbert had enlisted within the 12 months prior to his death.

Herbert's father, Mr William Pitt, was awarded a Dependant's Pension of 5/0d (5 shillings) per week from 6th November 1918. It seems that WIlliam was not aware that he was eligible for a Dependant's Pension as it was 30th December 1918 before he applied. His address was 20 Sedgley Road East, Dudley Port, Tipton.

Action resulting in his death

It is likely that Herbert was a Special Reservist and called up at the outbreak of war. The 3rd Worcesters crossed to France in September 1914, so Herbert would have been a reinforcement when he embarked in December 1914.

The 3rd Battalion Worcesters spent the winter of 1914-1915 in trenches facing the Messines Ridge. When not in the front line, they were in billets around the towns of Locre and Dranoutre. Trench conditions were extremely poor, alternating between sticky slime and liquid mud. Shelling and sniping gave a steady toll of casualties, with 31 men killed between 1st January and 1st March 1915.

The February 1915 War Diary for the 3rd Worcesters showed them alternating between the front lines "east of Kemmel" and billets in Locre; casualties were reported as 10 Killed and 35 wounded. The War Diary for 26th February records that they relieved the 15th Hussars and Honourable Artillery Company in trenches "east of Kemmel". On that day 1 man was wounded, on the next day (27th) 12 men were wounded, and on the 28th 1 man killed and 2 wounded. The Soldier's Effects entry for Herbert records that he died on the 1st March at No. 7 Field Ambulance at Locre; his Pension Card records that he had suffered a Gun Shot Wound in the chest on 28th February. The Field Ambulances were stationed in the Convent of St. Antoine, Locre. Herbert is buried in Locre Churchyard which was used for burials by these Field Ambulances.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald 20th March 1915
DEATHS AT THE FRONT.
The deaths are reported of two Tipton soldiers in France, they are:
Private H. Pitt of Sedgley Road East, and
Private Arthur Palmer of Cleton Street, Dudley Port.