Private EDWARD JAMES PITHER

Born in North Warnborough on 27 April 1881., Edward was the eldest son of Stephen and Sophia Pither. His brother Arthur was also later to become a war casualty. He attended London Road Board School 30 March 1893 and became a baker/bread maker in a grocer’s shop in Yateley. By 1911 he was back in North Warnborough living with his parents and brother and working as a general labourer. In 1906 he played for the North Warnborough football team, Edward is in the back row, second from left.

Edward married Essex born Matilda Herrington in Odiham in 1912. When called up and trained he initially joined the 1st Bn. The Hampshire Regiment in France in 1916, shortly afterwards he transferred to the 2nd Bn. and three weeks later he was in the trenches on the front line.

We do not know when Edward was sent to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Amiens, but with his health history he would have been very vulnerable to bronchial pneumonia, which was his cause of death so soon after arriving on the Western Front. He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. His widow, Matilda, was awarded a War Gratuity of £2.14s.9d.