237385 L/Sgt. William Henry Pitts British Army 23rd Company Machine Gun Corps from:Dawlish, Devon (d.22nd June 1917) William Pitts was the son of Edward and Mary Ann Pitts. In 1901 his parents had moved to Duckaller Cottage, Port Road, Dawlish and William Henry, 13, Leah L, 11 had been joined by Albany J, 7, born in Dawlish. The other children had moved away and one of their number had died, as recorded in the 1911 census when the parents with Albany John Pitts were living at Westwood, Cofton, Starcross.
William was born St Thomas district, surrounding Exeter and including Kenton Oct-Dec 1887. He joined the Devonshire Regiment with a service no. 7882 and was stationed in Malta with the 2nd Battalion at the time of the 1911 census. It is possible that he was discharged before the outbreak of war and then re-enlisted with the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). At the time of his death he held the rank of Lance Sergeant with service number 17565. The Army Registers of Soldiers Effects show that William was serving with the 23rd Company of the Machine Gun Corps at the time of his death on 22nd June 1917. His name is inscribed on the Main Gate at Ypres.
In early 1914 William had married Ethel Beatrice Westcott (Born in Lambeth, in 1890,) in Exeter.
After William's death Ethel married Alfred Bowles in Oct-Dec 1920 at Dartford and the CWGC website records her address as 8 Battle Road, Erith, Kent.
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