Pte 16333 James Stevenson Pitcher

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16333 Private James Stevenson PITCHER, 18^th Battalion KLR. 

James Stevenson “Steve” Pitcher was born on the 14th August 1893 (error on baptism) in Seacombe, Cheshire. He was the third eldest of five children born to James Stevenson Pitcher, Licensed victualler (manager) and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Webb) who were married in 1893 in Liverpool. His father, born 16^th August 1870, was baptised James Stephenson on the 13^th February 1884 at St Johns Chapel, Redenhall with Harleston and Wortwell, Norfolk.

James junior was baptised on 07th March 1897 along with his sister Alice at St George's Church, Everton. 

The 1901 Census finds James aged 8 living with his parents and two sisters at 52 Poplar Street, Everton, Liverpool. His father is 30 years of age and was born in Harleston, Norfolk, whilst his mother is 29 years of age and was born in Oxford. His sisters are recorded as; Alice M. aged 5 and Florence E. aged 3.

By 1911 the family are still residing at 52 Poplar Street. James is now 17 and is shown as a solicitor's clerk. His parents are both in the household, his father shown as 37 years of age but his place of birth now shown as Fulham, London. His mother is 38, they advise that they have been married for 18 years and that all five of their children had survived. James' siblings are shown as; Alice May aged 14 a typewriting student born in Liverpool on 16th August 1896, Florence Emma aged 12, Eda (Eva?) Rose aged 7 and Roy Eden aged 4. 

Steve enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914,  joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16333. He gave his age as 21 years 20 days, born Seacombe, his occupation as solicitor’s clerk with Messrs Hill, Dickinson and Co and his next of kin as his father of 70 Lower Breck Road. He was described as being 5' 5" tall, weighed 112lbs, with a 33" chest, a sallow complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His religion was stated as Presbyterian. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 07^th November 1915.

From 29^th April 1916 to 1^st May 1916 he was attached to 21^st Brigade for signalling training. He returned to his unit on 1^st May 1916.

Steve was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 21, although on 11^th July 1916 a memo on his file says that he is not yet a known casualty.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

James' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

His death was reported in the Liverpool Evening Express on 14th July 1916:

Private J.S. Pitcher, of the Pals, son of Mr.J.S. Pitcher, 70 Lower Breck-road, who was killed on July 1st. Before enlisting he was employed by Messrs. Hill, Dickenson, and Co. 

James was engaged to a lady named “Flo” who placed an “In Memoriam” in the Liverpool Echo of 14^th July 1916;

On 13^th October 1916, his father acknowledges receipt of his son’s effects - an identity disc and a letter. 

In a sworn declaration dated 11^th July 1919, his father stated that James was survived by his parents, a 12 year old brother (Roy Eden Pitcher), and three sisters (Alice May, 23 years; Florence Emma 21 years; and Eda Rose, 16 years) and all live at 70 Lower Breck Road.