Charles Pittard
NAME: Charles Horace Pittard
RANK: Private
SERVICE NO.: 6557
UNITS SERVED: 11th Battalion
PERSONAL DETAILS: Charles Horace Pittard was born in Gawler South Australia to parents Edwin and Elizabeth. He was married to Mary, and had a number of children with her. He was 5’ 6” tall, weighed 125 lbs (57 kgs) with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and grey hair. He was a Baptist by religion. He stated his trade as brewer worker on his enlistment papers, but was described by his wife as a horse driver, so he probably delivered beer kegs to pubs in Perth.
ENLISTMENT DETAILS: Charles enlisted on the 8th May 1916. He gave his age as 29.
DETAILS ABOUT ROLE IN WAR: Charles left Australia from Fremantle on the 10th October 1916, aboard the Suffolk, arriving in Plymouth on the 2nd December. He marched in to the 3rd Training Battalion on the 17th December and on the 19th January 1917, he was diagnosed with a severe abdominal tumour. From the 6th April 1917 to the 22nd Charles was absent without leave. He was awarded 168 hours detention and forfeited 14 day’s pay. On the 3rd May he left England for France and on the 4th June he was taken on strength by the 11th Battalion. 20 days later he was readmitted to hospital with influenza. He rejoined the unit on the 31st August. During the next few months the battalion was involved in the battles of Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broonseinde, Poelcapelle and Passchendaele. Charles survived all of these but returned to hospital on the 13th November. He again rejoined the unit of the 6th December. From the 14th February, 1918 to the 9th March he was given leave to England. On the 4th May, he was again taken to hospital with a whitlow finger and was sent to England. While at Hurdcott he went absent without leave for 4 days forfeiting 8 days pay. He went AWL again on the 5th December for 6 days, this time being awarded 27 days pay forfeit. In 1919 he went AWL another 2 times for a total of 24 days and forfeited a total of 59 days pay. On the 24th March he was admitted to hospital and died later that day of an intestinal obstruction.
AGE AT DEATH: 35
MEMORIAL DETAILS: Sutton Veny (St John) Churchyard, United Kingdom Grave
