Name
Walter James Pitts
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
46160
Rifle Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton School Memorial
Pre War
Biography
Walter appears on the School War Memorial, confirming that he attended the school. Parish records suggest only one man of this name who could have served, and he was born on March 13th 1899 to William Josiah and Abigail Pitts (née Goldsmith). He would only have been fifteen at the outbreak of war and so it is likely that he served in the latter stages of the war. Census records confirm Walter James (b 1899) and Martha (b 1901) as children and Adrian Pitts, who is researching the Pitts family, was able to add Ethel Annie (b 1904) and Zilla Rose (b 1905).
Walter married Elizabeth Florence Tansley, the daughter of Alfred Sharp and Florence Emily Tansley, on September 15th 1923 in St. Johns Church, Hitchin. Elizabeth was born in 1901 in Pirton and they had two children: Raymond Wally and Derrick William Pitts. Walter and Elizabeth are both buried in Holwell, Walter passed away on July 20th 1974.
Adrian consulted his father about Walter, and he produced Walter's war medals inscribed on the edge with ‘46160 Pte W J Pitts Rif Brig’, confirming that he served in the Rifle Brigade. He also confirmed that Walter had been wounded, receiving a shrapnel wound to the nose. It is thought that this required a plate to be inserted.
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission, Adrian Pitts
