The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Sergeant H J Pilcher

Photograph by "alain debruyne"

Serjeant Henry James PILCHER, G/18396, 11th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders France, 20th April 1917, age 21.

Born Folkestone, Kent, son of Charles Harrison & Mary Annie Pilcher, of 94, Dover Road, Folkestone, Kent.

1911 Census - 94, Dover Road, Folkestone, Kent - Charles H Pilcher, head, age 47, married, general carrier, own account, home, born Folkestone, Kent; Mary A Pilcher, wife, age 41, married 17 years, 4 children, 3 still alive, 1 died, (crossed out - married 17 years, 5 children, 4 still alive, 1 died), born Folkestone, Kent; Elizabeth L Pilcher, daughter, age 19, single, tele operator, Nation Telephone Company, worker, born Folkestone, Kent; Charles H Pilcher, son, age 16, single, grocers apprentice, worker, born Folkestone, Kent; Henry J Pilcher, son, age 15, single, at home on the firm, general carriers, worker, born Folkestone, Kent; Sidney E Pilcher, son, age 10, school, born Folkestone, Kent; Emma C Wiles, visitor, age 35, married 12 years, 7 children, all still alive, farmers wife, born St Margarets, Kent; Gertrude M Wiles, visitor (daughter), age 9 months, born Great Cauldron, Caple Le Ferne, Kent.

Enlisted Canterbury, Kent, age 19, height 5ft 4 inches, weight 143lbs, mole over left arm, left varicoele. Formerly jobmaster.

Home 29th September 1914 to 20th September 1916; BEF 21st September 1916 to 20th April 1917.

29th September 1914, enlisted & posted 2/1 Battalion, Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles, Service No.2112; 27th January 1915 to 22nd March 1915, Herne Bay Military Hospital, contused wound of left shin, at Broomfield on Mounted Parade, Pte Bisley's horse turned round & kicked him on the shin, healed slowly under ordinary treatment; 30th January 1915, appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 29th May 1915, appointed paid Lance Corporal; 29th June 1915, promoted acting Corporal; 5th February 1916, appointed paid Lance Sergeant; 20th September 1916, reverted to Corporal; 21st September 1916, embarked; 22nd September 1916, Etaples, 38th Infantry Base Depot; 21st September 1916, reverted to Private; 11th October 1916, transferred to 4th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 11th October 1916, posted 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 14th October 1916, joined 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, In the Field; 14th October 1916, promoted Corporal; 14th October 1916, appointed paid Lance Sergeant; 5th February 1917, promoted Sergeant.

2nd October 1919, Statement of Relatives - Widow, none; Children, none; Father, Charles Harrison Pilcher, 94, Dover Road, Folkestone; Mother, Annie Pilcher, 94, Dover Road, Folkestone; Brothers - Charles Harrison Pilcher, age 25, 88, Dover Road, Folkestone; Sidney E Pilcher, age 18, 94, Dover Road, Folkestone; Sisters - Lily Drummond, c/o General Delivery, Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada.

Buried at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery, BB. 1., Belgium. Commemorated Folkestone War Memorial.

This page was last updated on 14-Aug-2021.