Private 16659 Samuel Pitt

Died Salonika on Friday, 5th January 1917, age 29.
Buried in Grave 763 at Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, Thessalonika, Greece.

'C' Company of 8th Bn., South Wales Borderers. 67th Brigade of 22nd Division.

Husband of E. L. McLoughlin (formerly Pitt), of 132, Willenhall Rd., Moseley Village, Wolverhampton.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Newport, Mon., Resident: Unknown.

First landed France & Flanders, 5th September 1915.
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/625361/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Samuel John Pitt registered December quarter 1887 in Dudley.

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

Marriage of Samuel John Pitt and Edith Lavinia Potts registered in December 1909 at Newport, Monmouthshire.

1911 Census
14 Hamilton Street, Newport, Monmouthshire.
Samuel Pitt (23, Sheet Metal Shearer, born Tipton), and his wife Edith Lavinia (23, born Wolverhampton).

The 1911 census shows that Samuel and Edith had a child who had sadly died. This is likley to have beeen William Pitt, born in September quarter 1910 and died in March quarter 1911. Two further children were born, both in Newport, Herbert born 26th December 1911 and Edith Lavinia born 5th November 1913.

Marriage of Patrick McLoughlin and Edith L. Pitt (Samuel's widow) registered in September quarter 1920 at Wolverhampton.

Personal Data

Samuel's brother, Herbert Pitt, died of wounds on 1st March 1915 in Belgium.

After Samuel's death his outstanding army pay and allowances was paid to his widow Edith Lavinia in April 1917; this amounted to £5/18/1d (5 pounds, 18 shillings and 1 penny). In October 1919 Edith also received his War Gratuity of £10/10/0d (10 pounds and 10 shillings), this amount with his date of death suggest that he had enlisted in September 1914.

Edith was awarded a WIdow's Pension of £1/2/11d (1 pound, 2 shillings and 11 pence) per week for herself and her 2 children, effective from 16th July 1917. This was increased to £1/12/6d from 10th October 1917, and then to £2/3/4d from 1st May 1918. The pension element in respect of Edith would have ceased on her re-marriage in 1920, but she would have been compensated by a Remarriage Gratuity equivalent to 1 year's pension; the pension in respect of her 2 children would have continued until their 16th birthdays. Her address at this time was 14 Hamilton Street, Newport, the same as at the time of the 1911 Census.

Action resulting in his death

Samuel enlisted with the South Wales Borderers which was formed in September 1914. Samuel landed in France with the 22nd Division in September 1915, but in October they moved to Marseilles and embarked for Salonika. The 22nd Division was in action during the Battle of Horseshoe Hill in August 1916, and the Battle of Machukovo in September 1916, but by January 1917 Salonika was comparatively quiet.

Samuel died on the 5th January 1917, his entry in 'Soldier's Effects' say that he "Died of Burns". He is buried in the Lembet Road Military Cemetery on the outskirts of the city of Thessalonika which was the base of the British Salonika Force, and contained numerous hospitals.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.