Essex Regiment

[Anthony Pigott]

I wonder if someone with access to / knowledge of the regimental history could help me solve a puzzle.

Pte. Arthur Leslie Pigott, 19712 Essex Regiment (My Second Cousin, Once Removed) is shown as 11th bn. on the CWGC database but on the MIC it looks like '1/Essex' which makes me wonder whether he was 1st bn. The MIC shows his first theatre of war as Egypt on 5/12/15. He DoW on 5/4/17 at is buried at Philosophe.

Presumably the movements of the 1st and 11th bns. will resolve this.

Thanks

Anthony

[Paul Reed]

He could well have been both battalions; three of my great uncles were with 1st Essex in 1915, at Gallipoli. Two of them went on to serve in other battalions, one in the 9th and another (whose photo is my avatar) in the 11th. They spent the early part of 1917 in the Lens sector which fits in with the place of burial. Both my great uncles who went with the 1st Bn to France in 1916 were wounded on 1st July; which is how they ended up transferring. Maybe yours did the same?

I don't suppose you have any group photos of him ?

[Anthony Pigott]

Thanks Paul.

What you say seems to support him starting in the 1/Essex and finishing in the 11/Essex.

I don't have any pictures. I only knew of his existence from family history research through the usual public records - I'd not heard anything through my family. He was my Father's second cousin but he died when my Father was only seven so he may not have known him or much about him, though interestingly my Father's first name was Leslie and he was Arthur Leslie.

Regards

Anthony