S. A. (Stephen Augustus) Pitt, Pte 33525

[seaJane]

33524 Private Stephen Augustus Pitt.

• CWGC - 1st/7th Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - Died 25/11/1917 - Buried at Jerusalem War Cemetery 
• MIC - https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D4654369
• FreeBMD - Born West Ham, June quarter 1893.

 

I'm looking into this chap for his great-niece, an old friend of mine; it's the usual query, viz how does a lad from West Ham end up in a Scots regiment? I've told her he would have gone where he was sent, but she still seems to find it mysterious. I was wondering if anyone had anything else to offer.

[travers61]

SDIGW shows him as formerly 48917 R. Scots Fus.

 

Chose his initial unit if a pre derby scheme volunteer, but less choice of which unit he went to if conscripted or a Derby Scheme man. Certainly many Scottish Hghland Territorial units, who were short of men willing to go overseas recruited in London & other large towns in England 1914/15, one opening a recruiting office in the City. For many this happened after mobiliseation & their move to England Autumn 1914. Discussed on thread below.

 

Other reasons, preference expressed on attestation, family connection, glamour of the kilt, many units oversubscribed at start of the war, joining with friends, but the list could be endless.

 

[seaJane]

Thank you for that.

 

Do you have any idea what date he joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers?

 

He doesn't have the 1914 or the 1914/15 Star so I assume he did not enter service in a war zone until 1 January 1916 at earliest; and as he was 21 when the War started, I'm not sure what he would have been doing in the mean while - almost 2 years seems a long time training.

34 minutes ago, travers61 said:

SDIGW shows him as formerly 48917 R. Scots Fus.

 

[charlie962]

13 hours ago, seaJane said:

what date he joined

The Soldiers effects shows a GBP 3  minimum War Gratuity so not more than one year's service.

 

Charlie

[seaJane]

Ah right, thanks Charlie. 

[charlie962]

From similar service numbers it looks like c April 1917 enlistment/mobilization- possibly 10th Works bn, RSF;  . ie he may have attested long before and trf'd immediately to the Reserve ? But for War Grat purposes his accepted enlistment date would be 1917.

 

What was his civil occupation ?

 

 

Edit. The Cameronians number was also issued April 1917. There are a number of men initially called up to 10th RSF and almost immediately posted to another Regiment.

 

In the case of Pitt it would be c 4/4/17 RSF then c 9/4/17 to Cameronians

Edited 21 March , 2020 by charlie962

[travers61]

In the 1911 census he is a 17 year old wood Driller (worker) in the Camera industry.

 

Not sure if this would have exempted him from call up/mobiliseation under either the Derby Scheme or Conscription unless he was by then working in a different trade. Unless exempted by trade or on medical grounds, and as he was single & does not seem to be the main beadwinner in the family, can't say why he did not mobilise until 1917. 

Edited 21 March , 2020 by travers61

[charlie962]

32 minutes ago, travers61 said:

Not sure if this would have exempted him from call up/mobiliseation

He might have stayed in same industry and become more indispensible ?  I note his younger brother, Christopher Valentine, was also a Wood Finisher in Camera business in 1911 census, aged 15. He seems to have an enlistment date of 28/2/16  (see SWB Roll 41224 Leicestershire Regt)(also PoW records on ICRC)

 

Nothing obvious on FMP newspapers but London papers are a bit thin on the ground.

 

charlie

[seaJane]

I was wondering whether camera-making would relate to the rise of aerial reconnaissance photography.

[travers61]

The Royal Flying Corps had started using aerial photography in 1912 & by 1915 whole trench systems were being photographed. Its possible that his call up could have been delayed because his being involved in this war work. The National registration of Summer 1915 put everybody in an occupation group to assess what skills were around & ensure enough were retained in the civillian population.

 

His record shows no RFC service so maybe he was not involved in actually fitting cameras to aircraft etc.

[seaJane]

Thanks - as his younger brother was also in the trade, that would indeed have freed him up for training as a soldier.