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William Pitt World War 1 Veteran

L

lulibell

master brummie
My great grandfather William Pitt born 1876-7 in Birmingham served in WW1.
Lived at 9 North Western Terrace, Newton Place, Hockley, B'ham in 1911 with wife Rose Anna and family.
He was a carter.
We have these photos of him in uniform, I was hoping that may help identify his regiment and his service record. We do know that he was gassed whilst serving.
He died in Henley in Arden Hospital 6 Oct 1943, age 66 years.

Any help or guidance would be wonderful,
Many thanks
Lu

:)
 
The cap badge appears to be that of the Royal Engineers (although if you could post one a little larger I could confirm).

The small silver brooch he has on his right chest is that of a Territorial who has agreed to overseas service.
 
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Thanks Ray
I couldn't see how to send it larger, I viewed it larger but it didn't help.
Perhaps if you right click on the photo and 'save picture as', you can then view it using which ever applications you have.
Unless anyone else has an idea.
I'll try to view the original over Easter and have a go at rescanning it.
The Royal Horse Artillary sounds promising.
Lu
 
Chris and Ray
I've asked my father to look at the original see which suggestion is closest.
He may rescan it but I'm not sure how we can improve/enlarge it.
Thank you
 
Chris was right...try this link for some info...oops got it wrong.
 
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It looks like he served in a Territorial Force Royal Engineers Company. There was one in Birmingham attached to the 48th South Midland Division T F. The badge on his tunic was known as the Imperial Service badge. It was given to each man if the majority of his unit volunteered to serve overseas i.e in the war zone. Territorials were to be be used for home defence only prior to WW1.

There are several men serving in the RE's with the same name. Have you a middle name or any medals with his number on?

Regards

Terry
 
Thanks for the link Ray, very useful background info.

Terry, I don't think he had a middle name, I'm not aware of middle names given by his parents to other siblings.
We haven't found any medals.
I think he was born between Oct 1876 and Mar 1877.
Any addresses will be in the Hockley/Winson Green area, either the above address or possibly Park Road.
Thanks so much for looking for me.
Sorry no other clues apart from the gassing.
Lu
 
William Pitt 9 North Western Terrace, is on the 1919 Absent Voters List. Regimental Number M/336349. Pte M.T. Army Service Corps.

Barrie.
 
The ASC number was issued quite late in the war. It is conceivable that he was a Territorial whose 4 year term of engagement expired and he was re-enlisted into the ASC. Either that or he was transferred at some point.
 
The chap in the first picture is wearing the RE cap badge, I believe some time in WW1 they formed thr Royal Army Service Corps who were transporter's then in I think 1927 the R C T who then got there own new cap badge.
paul
 
Thanks Paul ,Chris, Barrie, Ray and Terry,
What a lovely surprise to find the info you have posted.
I've just come back from B'ham and actually visited North Western Terrace, it's a cobbled cul-de sac.
I thought you'd like to see these photos oView attachment 67237f William in his other uniforms . I gather that the pith helmet photos were taken in Lonigo , NE Italy , between Verona and Venice.
View attachment 67236
I'm posting this before it expires again!
Many thanks
Lu
 
paul stacey said:
... I believe some time in WW1 they formed thr Royal Army Service Corps ...
Click to expand...

The RE and ASC were two separate Corps and had certainly been so since before the Second Boer War (my knowledge of military history prior to that is very hazy). The ASC became the RASC in late 1918.
 
I believe that the royal Engineers were responsibile at the outbreak of WW1 for some of the forms of transport, The denotion of "driver" originally ment horse transport, and as the war progressed the need for a dedicated transport regiment became clear hence ASC, the RE were also responsible for erecting telegraph poles and stringing wireing untill a Signals Corps were inorgorated later in WW1.
paul
 
Hi,

I thought I'd try and locate some military records of William Pitt who survived the war, as there are new records on ancestry and its free this weekend (!!). Please see first post on thread for his details and photos. Experts on this forum kindly helped me by suggesting that he served with the ASC , later becoming RASC. This was exciting as we think that his civvie job of carter became a driver in ww1; images from War Horse now ping into my mind . Unfortunately, I don't think I can locate his reg number or see if any of the records, service, pension or medal records belong to him. Any suggestions or advice to how to find his records if they exist?

Best regards and thanks,

Lu
 
The additional electoral roll for 1919 lists william at 9 north western place and gives army details as M/336349, Pte., M.T., A.S.C. and he was there till 1939
 
mikeejee beat me to it!

He was also listed in the 1918 Absent voters list with the same info

Terry

p.s. Going back to original postings, the pictures have gone. So we all agreed the cap badge to be RE so is the picture you have is in fact William Pitt?
If he was born in 1876 he would be 42 years old by the end of the war
 
There is a medal index card for Pte William Pitt ASC M/336349

he was also awarded a Silver War Badge which also gave the following details

Enlisted into A.S.C 24 June 1916 and discharged due to sickness on 28 February 1919
The roll also states that he served overseas.

Terry
 
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