Edward George Pitchers

A Private with 101 Company Labour Corps, Edward died on 14th of May 1918 at the age of 27. 

Edward was born at Lowestoft on 16 May 1890, a son of Robert I. and Elizabeth Mary Pitchers. He was baptised at Saint John’s Church on 2 November 1890 and his family lived at 2 Belvedere Road. On 1 July 1895 Edward became a pupil at Kirkley School. By 1901 his family were living at 4 Junction Passge, Denmark Road, and this was still their address in 1911 when Edward was a bill poster. Later his parents lived at 23 Windsor Road. 

Edward enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, service number 25591. He was then transferred to the Royal Fusiliers, to serve in France, and posted to the 34th Battalion with service number 16947, and this is the number and regiment shown on his headstone. However, the 34th Battalion became the 101st Company, Labour Corps, and Edward was thus transferred to this unit and had the service number 60446.

On 14 May 1918 the 101st Company were making and repairing road when the Germans launched a gas attack and Edward would have received gas/shell wounds. He was evacuated to Rouen where he died. The gas attack on 14 May resulted in the greatest loss of life to any Labour Corps unit in the whole of the First World War.