Harry Pitts - Norfolk Regiment 3448

[PRC]

Harry Pitts, born Coggleshall, Essex, was an 18 year old Labourer when he enlisted in the Norfolk Regiment on the 5th December 1892, (so born circa 1874) and was issued with service number 3448.

Find My Past has a few pages of his service records and separately they have his discharge proceedings.

He initially signed up for 12 years, split 7 years in the colours and 5 in the reserves. He subsequently extended to the full 12 years in the colours and on completion of that opted in 1904 to complete the full 21 years.

On the 23rd March 1908 he married an Alice Green, (Spinster) at the Norwich Registry Office. (The only marriage for an Alice Green recorded in the Norwich District in 1908 was to a Harry CECIL Pitts. The birth of a HENRY Cecil Pitts was registered with the civil authorities in the Witham District of Essex in the January to March quarter, Q1, of 1877. Witham Civil Registration District included the Civil Parishes of Great Coggleshall and Little Coggleshall at that time. https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/witham.html

So possibly Harry lied about his age in order to be able to sign up in 1892.)

In September 1913 Harry Pitts was permitted to continue in the service beyond 21 years. On the 2nd September 1914 he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, who then formed part of the Harwich Garrison.

He was discharged on the 6th August 1917, aged 42 years and 246 days, as no longer physically fit for war service as a result of a Tubercle on his lung. His condition was stated to have originated in 1915 at Felixstowe as a result of exposure during ordinary military service. His condition was permanent and was a total incapacity. Sanatorium treatment was advised but refused. His intended place of residence post-discharge was Ferry Lane, Walton, Felixstowe. He was to received 27/6 per week disability pension regardless of the amount of service pension awarded.

The death of a 42 year old Harry C. Pitts was recorded in the Woodbridge Civil Registration District of Suffolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1918. There is no obvious probate record. The Woodbridge Civil Registration District includes both the civil parish of Walton and the civil parish of Felixstowe.

I assume he is most likely buried in the Walton on the Naze Cemetery.

So my questions would be:-

Is there anything in the Pension Ledger Cards \ Dependants Pension Cards to confirm this soldier passed away in 1918?
Is anyone else already pursuing this as a non-commemoration case? In from the Cold Project?

Cheers,
Peter

[ss002d6252]

33 minutes ago, PRC said:

Harry Pitts, born Coggleshall, Essex, was an 18 year old Labourer when he enlisted in the Norfolk Regiment on the 5th December 1892, (so born circa 1874) and was issued with service number 3448.

Find My Past has a few pages of his service records and separately they have his discharge proceedings.

He initially signed up for 12 years, split 7 years in the colours and 5 in the reserves. He subsequently extended to the full 12 years in the colours and on completion of that opted in 1904 to complete the full 21 years.

On the 23rd March 1908 he married an Alice Green, (Spinster) at the Norwich Registry Office. (The only marriage for an Alice Green recorded in the Norwich District in 1908 was to a Harry CECIL Pitts. The birth of a HENRY Cecil Pitts was registered with the civil authorities in the Witham District of Essex in the January to March quarter, Q1, of 1877. Witham Civil Registration District included the Civil Parishes of Great Coggleshall and Little Coggleshall at that time. https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/witham.html

So possibly Harry lied about his age in order to be able to sign up in 1892.)

In September 1913 Harry Pitts was permitted to continue in the service beyond 21 years. On the 2nd September 1914 he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, who then formed part of the Harwich Garrison.

He was discharged on the 6th August 1917, aged 42 years and 246 days, as no longer physically fit for war service as a result of a Tubercle on his lung. His condition was stated to have originated in 1915 at Felixstowe as a result of exposure during ordinary military service. His condition was permanent and was a total incapacity. Sanatorium treatment was advised but refused. His intended place of residence post-discharge was Ferry Lane, Walton, Felixstowe. He was to received 27/6 per week disability pension regardless of the amount of service pension awarded.

The death of a 42 year old Harry C. Pitts was recorded in the Woodbridge Civil Registration District of Suffolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1918. There is no obvious probate record. The Woodbridge Civil Registration District includes both the civil parish of Walton and the civil parish of Felixstowe.

I assume he is most likely buried in the Walton on the Naze Cemetery.

So my questions would be:-

Is there anything in the Pension Ledger Cards \ Dependants Pension Cards to confirm this soldier passed away in 1918?
Is anyone else already pursuing this as a non-commemoration case? In from the Cold Project?

Cheers,
Peter

Died 22 June 18 of TB

https://www.fold3.com/image/669418510?terms=3448,pitts

Craig

[PaulC78]

Looks like a fairly solid case based on the above. Can confirm he's not on the IFCP list.

GRO have his full name as Harry Cecil Pitts in the death index.

Edited 7 August , 2021 by PaulC78

[PRC]

Thanks Craig @ss002d6252 and Paul @PaulC78 - very much appreciated. My birthday stash of cash present has been raided once again and a death certificate has been ordered

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

Case submitted earlier today.

The Death certificate shows causes of death same as those on the Widows Pension card - 1) Pulmonary Tuberculosis and 2) Tubercular Meningitis

(Image courtesy of the General Registrars Office)

Place of death is shown as Cherry Cottages, Ferry Lane, Felixstowe.  His discharge address in his service records was Ferry Lane, Walton, Felixstowe, and the initial address on the Widows Pension Card was Cherry Cottages, Ferry Lane, Lower Walton, Felixstowe.

He had been offered sanatorium treatment at his discharge medical in July 1917 and refused it. However I wonder if that is what actually happened - the person present at his death was an H. Mann. Does that look like the word "Inmate" - could that have been his roomie? Fortunately no male H. Mann recorded as dieing in the same registration district over the following five years so one can only hope they made a full recovery.

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

Heard earlier today that this one too has been accepted by the CWGC and gone forward for formal adjudication.

Reference is ARMY 11288 - Harry Pitts

So if date of submission, 18th August 2021, was Day 1, this stage has been passed on Day 16.

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 23 November , 2021 by PRC
Typo

[PRC]

Harry has been added today to the WW1 Roll of Honour.

CWGC webpage https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/75467895/harry-pitts/

Day 445 since the original submission.

Rest in peace
Peter

[PRC]

Had a mail about this man earlier this afternoon from the CWGC, confirming his acceptance and that an entry had been created for him on their database.

Cheers,
Peter