The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private A H Pettitt

Photograph by “Military Historian”

Private Alfred Henry PETTITT, G/1069, 2nd Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died of disease (cholera), Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force, 27th April 1916.

Born Coxheath, Maidstone, Kent, son of *George & Louisa Day formerly Pettitt, Well Street, Loose, Maidstone, Kent.

*1895 December, Maidstone Registration District, George Pettitt died age 55.

1911 September, Maidstone Registration District, Louisa E Pettitt, married Albert C Day.

Enlisted Tunbridge Wells, Kent, age 20 years & 120 days, height 5ft 4½ inches, fresh complexion, brown eyes, dark hair. Formerly groom.

Home, 4th September 1914 to 9th December 1915; Indian Expeditionary Force, 10th December 1915 to 27th April 1916.

4th September 1914, enlisted & posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 5th September 1914, Fort Darland, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 26th October 1914 posted 9th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 10th December 1915, posted Indian Expeditionary Force & 2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 10th December 1915, Keynham Dockyard, embarked; 8th January 1916, Ashar, disembarked;

5th July 1919, Statement of Relatives - Father, George Pettitt, deceased; Mother, Louisa Day; Brothers - George Pettitt, Dean Street, Farley, Hunton, Maidstone; Luke Pettitt, Dean Street, Farley, Hunton, Maidstone; Sisters - Alice Lawrence?, Grays Essex; Charlotte Newman?, Erith, Kent; Elizabeth Martin?, Tovil, Maidstone; Louise? Alchin?, Farleigh, Maidstone; Rose Richardson, Grecian Street, Maidstone.

Buried at Amara War Cemetery, XX. G. 4., Iraq.

NOTE from CWGC - In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried in the cemetery engraved upon it.

Commemorated on Tonbridge War Memorial - Tonbridge War Memorial - The original World War I memorial at the Junction of Pembury Road and Quarry Hill. The names were later re-inscribed in the new Memorial Garden in Bradford Street.

From Tonbridge History - Albert Pettitt: Slade School has a record of him as 'Albert Pettett'. The CWGC has no record for any Albert Pettett; the closest records are for Albert Pettitt, Private 72724 R.A.M.C. killed in action on 30th August 1917 and Alfred Henry Pettitt, Private G/1069 Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment who died on 27th April 1916. Neither of these men have any proven connection with Tonbridge, but as one was born in Eastbourne and the other in Tunbridge Wells, either may have had relatives in Tonbridge at the time that names were suggested for the memorial.

This page was last updated on 17-Jan-2026.