The AIF Project

Basil Bernard PITCHER

Regimental number4911
Place of birthPortland, Victoria
SchoolKoroit Catholic School, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationEngineer
AddressKoroit, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Height5' 4"
Weight128 lbs
Next of kinFather, Mr G W Pitcher, Koroit, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed in the 71st Infantry, Ballarat, and for 12 months in the Yarra Borderers, Citizen Military Forces; still serving at time of AIF enlistment.
Enlistment date9 November 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name5th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/22/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 7 March 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 17), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
168
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: George and Mary PITCHER, 9 Geddes Street, Ascot Vale, Victoria. Native of Portland, Victoria
Family/military connectionsCousin: E. WILLIAMS, killed in action, France [cannot be further identified]
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Found guilty, at sea, 29 March 1916, of leaving ship without permission: awarded 168 hours' detention.

Taken on strength, 59th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Handwritten note on Form B103: 'Presume Buried In No Man's Land approx 5J90 43 to 5K02.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, PITCHER Basil Bernard

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