Name
Douglas Pitcher
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1917
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
701488
London Regiment *1
2nd/23rd (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
JERUSALEM MEMORIAL
Panels 47 to 53.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Town Memorial, Christchurch Plaque, now in Holy Trinity Church, Bengeo
Pre War
Born in 1884 or 1885 in Brixton, London son of Jarvis and Susannah Pitcher later of 70 Port Vale, Hertford. He had a brother, James, and sister Clara and in 1891 they were living at 36 Calvert Road, Battersea, his father was a boot repairer.
He married Ethel Cissie Pitcher of 41 Isis Street, Earlsfield, London in 1905 and they lived in Battersea. In 1911 Ernest was living at 15 Beaufoy Road, Lavender Hill, Battersea with his wife Ethel Cissie, along with two children Douglas and Ethel, he was employed as a transformer attendant at an Electric Light Station.
Wartime Service
Enlisted on 1 Jun 1915 at Clapham Junction. After training at St Albans and Braintree they moved to Dutton Veny and from there went to France in June 1915.
In November of that year they were ordered to transfer to the Salonika front where they arrived on Christmas Day 1916. In 1917 they were in action in the battles for Doiran in April and May. They were then ordered to Egypt and then joined the Egyptian Expeditionary Force on 15 Jun 1917. They were stationed in the Southern Suez Canal Zone before they advanced into Palestine. In 1917 they took part in the 3rd Battle for Gaza from October, and it was during this action that Douglas Pitcher died.
Additional Information
Brother of Private James Pitcher who was killed in action on 11 Mar 1917 and is also commemorated on this memorial and on a Bengeo memorial.
At the time of his death his wife was living at 41 Isis Street, Earlsfield, London and his father was living at 70 Port Vale, Hertford.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Terry & Glenis Collins
