Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Stewart James Pitt was born on 11 April 1893 at 7 Stanley Street, Hyde Park Sydney, New South Wales. His father, George, was 35 and his mother, Ethel (Effie) was 26.

Stewart was baptised on 21st June 1893 at St Andrews Church, Sydney. Stewart (was one of 8 brothers and sisters) and was a Clerk prior to enlisting as a 21 year old, soldier in the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) 265 and then in the Australian Infantry Forces (AIF) 3709. Stewart was living at his parents’ home at, 'Sudeley Villa', New Canterbury Road, Petersham, New South Wales when he enlisted.

Stewart joined the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force on 11th August 1914. Stewart was 5’ 11” – so quite tall in those days and a strong 11 stone 10 pound. His complexion was fair, with blue eyes, brown hair with no distinctive marks.

Stewart’s war service record shows that that he was tried by a Field General Court Marshall on 28th October 1914 in Rabaul and sentenced to 14 days imprisonment with forfeiture of pay. One can only wonder what for – it does not show on his service records.

Stewart was discharged from the AN&MEF on 4th March, 1915 at Sydney and his enlisted was terminated (time expired). He returned to civilian life.

Stewart again joined up, this time with the AIF on 6th November 1916 in Townsville, Queensland. His occupation was described as a clerk. He was sent to France on 24th January 1917.

On Stewart’s enlistment papers it shows Stewart was now 5’ 9.5”! He was still a strong 11 stone 6 pounds with chest measurement of 35-38’. His complexion was fair, with blue eyes, brown hair but now with some distinctive marks, namely D.G tattoo and vaccination marks on his right arm.

Stewart was wounded in Villiers- Bretonneux, France on the 18th May 1918. Stewart’s record shows he was ‘gassed’ and was first admitted to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station then to Rouen Hospital, France on 8th June 1918. From there he was invalided to England 9th June 1918 and admitted to a war hospital in Exeter where the formal diagnosis was ‘mustard shell gas poison’. After moving to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford he was discharged from hospital on 8th July 1918.

While Stewart was recovering the Fifth Division fought in the Battles of Hamel in July 1918 and Amiens in August 1918. In September 1918 it fought and crossed the Somme River at Peronne and fought on to the Hindenburg Line. Stewart in the meantime was rehabilitating and then went into ‘training’ in Longbridge, Deverill 27th August 1918.

During this period in Longbridge Deverill, Stewart married Lena Claxton Parker in the Church of England - Parish Church, Walton-le Soken also known as Walton-on-Naze in Essex on the 12th October, 1918. Eighteen days later Stewart proceeded to France again on 30th October 1918 and rejoined his Unit in the field 10th November 1918.

After the war, Stewart (and assume Lena) finally left England for Australia on 9th August 1919 and arrived in Sydney 3rd October 1919. In 1930 they were living at Model Farm, Langham Road, Baulkham Hills, Sydney. Stewart was described in the census as a farmer through until the 1940s. They had nine children in 15 years.

Stewart’s life became a sad story however and on his return to Australia he was always sick most likely traumatised by the war – shell shock and ultimately, he was committed to a military hospital and spent close to 50 years in and out, mainly in Callan Park Mental Hospital/Rozelle Hospital in Sydney, New South Wales.

Stewart died on 18 November 1979 at the age of 86 and is buried next to Lena at Pine Grove Cemetery Minchinbury New South Wales.