The photo is of my wife’s uncle, Walter John Pittaway known as Wally or occasionally as Johnny. He was from East London and as far as the family know he served in the Parachute regiment in 1944. However, that is all that is known about his army life and this photo is all that remains. No service number is known. It is thought he suffered from shell shock in France or Belgium in July/August 1944 but that was passed down from a long dead relative. Can anyone identify the uniform he is wearing!
Hi John To find out more about him and the regiments he may have been in why not apply for his service records which are his official military history - link to forms Request records of deceased service personnel from this you (and our help if you need it) can fill in the gaps TD
Wouldn't have notice if you would not have mentioned something it airborne, but isn't that a glider badge on his right forearm? So could be one of the (Scottish) glider borne regiments with 1st or 6th Airborne Division, like KOSB with 1st...
Thanks guys that’s helpful. I will leave it for a week or so and if I don’t hear anything further I will apply for his service records. As he was from London would it have been unusual for him to have joined a Scottish regiment? John
Your replies leave me wanting more! We’re there many Scottish glider borne regiments that were in NW Europe in July/Aug 1944? Excuse my naivety. John
Any relation to this fellow:- Civilian PITTAWAY, WALTER JOHN Died 19/10/1940 Aged 61 Civilian War Dead of 33 Highgrove Road, Dagenham, Essex. Died at 448 Mile End Road. Kyle
No I don’t believe so Kyle although our Wally also lived in Dagenham in later life! He was actually from the Bow/ Poplar area. I have seen this before and I am not aware of any connection although Wally has a sister still alive and living in Australia so I will try and find out. The age of this chap would be around the same as Wally’s grandfather. John
Thanks John, In light of his shellshock I checked the casualty lists but found no W. Pittaway but I did find a 3774730 L/Cpl J Pittaway but the unit listed is 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers reported missing believed captured 2 May 1944 (Italy) The number 3774730 is from `The King's Regiment` enlistment block. PoW transcription for this particular `Pittaway` Name: J Pittaway Rank: Lance Corporal Army Number: 3774730 Regiment: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers POW Number: 132304 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: VII-A Camp Location: Moosburg an der Isar, Bavaria Kyle
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 Name: Walter J Pittaway Registration Date: 1924 Registration district: Mile End Inferred County: Greater London Re-registration Year: 1924 Mother's Maiden Name: Stannard Volume Number: 1c Page Number: 451 England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Walter John Pittaway Death Age: 56 Birth Date: 6 Apr 1924 Registration Date: Sep 1980 Registration district: Havering Inferred County: Greater London Volume: 13 Page: 0164 Rather than guessing why not send for his service records as in post no 3 TD
TD, I have just completed the forms and applied for a copy of the death certificate. As soon as that arrives I will apply to the MOD for his service record. I will let you all know the outcome! John
Have now received the war service records. Walter John Pittaway Army no: 14307777 Originally enlisted and posted to the Essex Regiment but transferred to 2nd Bn of the Ox and Bucks which was part of the 6th Airborne Landing Brigade. Is it possible to find out what Company he served in? I know he spent some time in a Monastery in France and his record indicates he was suffering from exhaustion in mid July 1944. What I do not understand is why none of the websites i.e. Ancestry etc have a record of him nor does the Ox & Bucks museum have him listed! Further, it appears from 15.10.45 to 19.04.47 he was serving in the MEF? What and where exactly did his Battalion do in the middle east? Grateful if anyone can throw some light on his service and I would be happy to provide someone with copies of his service record but obviously I am reluctant to put copies on the forum. Seems he, like most of his mates, went through it after D-Day. Thanks John
Palestine? Paradata has some details - might be worth nosing around their site, and perhaps contacting them - 6th Airlanding Brigade | ParaData 2nd Battalion Ox and Bucks Light Infantry | ParaData Many, including myself has uploaded service records they are easier to interrept, but its up to you TD 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry The 6th Airborne Division in Normandy
We will await your upload then TD I would also suggest using this site search engine there are quite a number of threads on Ox & Bucks
TD Service record uploaded. Any translation of it would be greatly appreciated and may well explain a few things. Assume it still doesn't identify what company he served in. Thanks John
Ox and Bucks being part of 6 Airlanding Brigade were deployed to Palestine in October 1945 along with 2nd and 3rd Parachute Brigade. 6 air landing were responsible for the Samaria section ( North and East of Palestine) I’ve recently got hold of this book “cordon and search” detailing the 6th Airborne Div in Palestine. Alex
He seems to have been transferred on leaving hospital in January 1945 to 1st Bn Highland Light Infantry, which would explain the original photo. I say "seems" because I'm lousy at translating service records - apologies in advance if this is wrong. Pat
