The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private F B Pettitt

Photograph by "Familiy Friend"

Private Francis Bernard PETTITT, G/10553, 8th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed accidentally, Flanders France, 10th February 1918, age 27.

24th October 1890, born Finedon, Northamptonshire, son of Samuel and Sarah Pettitt, of 2, Orchard Road, Berry Green, Finedon, Northamptonshire.

14th December 1890, Finedon, Northamptonshire, baptism of Francis Bernard Pettitt, son of Samuel and Sarah Pettitt.

1911 Census - 10 Upper Roman Road, Chelmsford, Essex - Albert Taylor, head, age 53, married, independent, born Broomfield, Essex; Emily Louisa Taylor, wife, age 53, married 26 years, no children, born Romford, Essex; Francis Bernard Pettitt, boarder, age 20, single, grocers assistant, worker, born Finedon, Northamptonshire.

1911 Census - The Berry Green, Finedon, Northamptonshire - Samuel Pettitt, head, age 47, married, shoe laster, worker, born Finedon, Northamptonshire; Sarah Pettitt, wife, age 43, married 21 years, 8 children, all still alive, born Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire; Leonard Pettitt, son, age 19, single, hairdresser, worker, born Finedon, Northamptonshire; Wilfred Pettitt, son, age 15, single, work on farm, worker, born Finedon, Northamptonshire; Harold Pettitt, son, age 12, school, born Finedon, Northamptonshire; Nellie Pettitt, daughter, age 12, school, born Finedon, Northamptonshire; Rose Pettitt, daughter, age 3, born Finedon, Northamptonshire; Evylen Pettitt, daughter, age 1, born Finedon, Northamptonshire.

Enlisted Gravesend, Kent, age 25 years & 3 days, height 5ft 9 inches, weight 135lbs. Resided Witham House, Simons Road, Cliffe at Hoo, Rochester, Kent. Formerly grocers managers.

Home, 27th October 1915 to 2nd May 1916; BEF, 3rd May 1916 to 9th June 1916; Home, 10th June 1916 to 15th March 1917; BEF, 16th March 1917 to 10th February 1918.

27th October 1915, enlisted & posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 27th October 1915, posted 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 3rd May 1916, Southampton, embarked; 4th May 1916, Havre, disembarked; 4th June 1916, 8 Casualty Clearing Station, wounded, shell wound, right forearm; 5th June 1916, transferred to No10. Ambulance Train; 10th June 1916, wounded, shell wound, right forearm, transferred to England, H.S. Cambrai?; ; 10th June 1916, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 11th June 1916 to 18th August 1916, Kitchener Hospital, complications and fracture; 1st September 1916, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 16th March 1917, posted BEF & 8th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment.

10th February 1918, report by Lt. Col. Wenyon, 8th Battalion, Commanding Officer, this man an officers mess cook, was killed in the cookhouse, through the accidental discharge of a rifle caused by No.5457, Pte Acott, F, who was cleaning it outside.

1st Witnesses - 4176 Pte Norman F: On the morning of the 10th inst I was standing outside the Coy Officers cookhouse. I heard the report of a rifle. I went inside and saw that Pte Pettitt had been hit. A few minutes previously I had seen Pte Acott go outside with his rifle. After hearing the report, when I went into the cookhouse, Pte Acott came in just in front of me;

2nd Witness - 2790 Pte Bassett E: on the morning of February 10th I was in the Officers cookhouse. I heard the report of a rifle at close quarters. After the elapse of a few seconds I noticed Pte Pettitt slowly sink to the ground and saw that he was hit. I opened his shirt on the right side of his neck. Pte Acott came running in and said "its me";

3rd Witness - 1375, Pte Fleming G: On the morning of the 10th inst, I was in the cookhouse. Pte Pettitt was also in it with me. I heard the report as of a rifle from close outside. After a few seconds Pte Pettitt sank to the ground. Pte Acott came running in with the magazine of a rifle in his hand. I had seen him cleaning his rifle outside the hut about five minutes previously. I did not hear him say anything when he came running in. He appeared agitated;

4th Witness - Capt Arthur John Porter: On the morning of the 10th February I was sitting in the mess, when I heard the report as of a rifle fired from the cookhouse close by. I sent to ascertain ???? had fired his???? found that a man had been shot. I made enquiries as to who had fired the shot and Pte Acott said that he had just taken out his magazine to clean his rifle and had leant the rifle against the cookhouse when it had gone off. I examined the rifle and found an empty round in the chamber. The magazine was removed and the cut off closed. The rifle was leaning against the cookhouse and there was a hole in the galvanised iron of the cookhouse immediately above the end of the barrel. The magazine was brought to me from the cookhouse and there were 4 undischarged rounds in it. The hole in the galvanised iron was a oblique one and in my opinion was caused by a bullet. The rifle was leaning at about 45 degrees.

Pte Acott to be tried by Field General Court Martial.

21st August 1919, Statement of Relatives - Father, Samuel Pettitt, Berry Farm, Finedon, Northamptonshire; Mother, Sarah Pettitt; Brothers - Albert L Pettitt, age 27; Wilfred Pettitt, age 24; Harold Pettitt, age 20; Sisters - Mary A Pettitt, age 25; Nellie Pettitt, age 18; Rose A Pettitt, age 12; Evlyn Pettitt, age 9.

Buried at Tincourt New British Cemetery, VI. J. 30., France.

This page was last updated on 22-Apr-2026.