Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From the book Fallen Saints  -  Richard Charles Pitcher the second son of Reverend Pitcher, was born at Adelaide South Australia in 1878 and attended St Peter's College  1891-1897. Prior to the Great War he became widely known for his talents as an actor and was for some time a member of Williamson Dramatic Company, which produced the "Sign of the Cross.''[i]

In 1901, he went to South Africa, where he joined the Education Department and by the time he enlisted at Potchefstroom, South Africa on 20 December 1915 was 37 years of age and headmaster of a large school at Johannesburg.  

Sergeant Pitcher, a member of the 4th Field Ambulance, South African Medical Corps, East African Expeditionary Force fought in the in the campaign against German East Africa. [ii]

During the war contracted malarial fever, which seriously undermined his constitution, and he died after a lingering illness. He was a nephew of Sir Richard Butler.[iii]

In a letter to the School Magazine dated 11 May 1916, Richard writing from British East Africa wrote that he was then on active service with the Union Forces. He said he had not encountered any other Old Blues by then but was not surprised since they were most likely fighting in other parts of the world.

We have had since our arrival several fights with the Germans and we have successfully driven them back from the borders of British East Africa right into the heart of their territory. [iv]

He wrote about how they had experienced a tough time shifting the Germans due mainly to the mountainous terrain and said their area of operations at that time included the mountains of Meru and Kilimanjaro.

The Germans are supposed to have under arms about 30,000 to 40,000 Askans, the word Askan meaning native soldier. The stronger children of the different tribes are taken and sent away at a very early age to be trained as soldiers. [v]

Richard seemed to have a great deal of respect for the native soldiers and described them as very brave, with little or no fear of death, but absolutely terrible with their rifles and forbidden to marry until 35 years of age.

The Germans do not seem to have been able to teach them to shoot as they always fire too high to do any damage, quite contrary to our native African Rifles, who are very good shots.

I don’t think it will be many months before we have forced the Germans to surrender. [vi]

The editor of the magazine added, it may interest some of our readers to know that R C Pitcher in writing mentioned that he had met in Johannesburg Cecil Shaw, who was a Master at the School.[vii]

On 2 May 1918, Richard was evacuated due to illness and after disembarking from the Hospital Ship Dongola at Durban on 8 May 1918; died of disease in Johannesburg Hospital on 18 May 1919. [viii]

Richard’s brothers, both of whom had attended the School served in the AIF, Ronald served on the Western Front with 6th Field Ambulance AAAMC and Cyril landed at Anzac on 7 August 1915 as a medical officer with the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance. Cyril later served as a major in France as RMO to 6th Australian Field Artillery Brigade; both men returned to Australia after the war.

In a letter dated 4 June 1919, the Adjutant General’s office informed the commandant 4th Military District they had received a cable from AIF Headquarters London for Major C. F. Pitcher, 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital.

- Inform above, brother 1195 Pitcher Richard Charles South African Medical Corps died at Johannesburg 18/5/19 carcinoma cerebical glands cachixia tongue. [ix]

[i] The Advertiser Adelaide, 12 June 1919,  p. 4
[ii] Attestation Form - 1195 R C Pitcher - Department of Defence Documentation Centre, Pretoria, South Africa
[iii] The Advertiser Adelaide, 12 June 1919,  p. 4
[iv] St Peter’s School Magazine - W K Thomas & Co, Adelaide, August 1916, p. 49-50
[v] ibid.
[vi] ibid., p. 49-50
[vii] ibid, p. 46
[viii] 2nd Brigade, South African Expeditionary Force - 1195 R C Pitcher - Department of Defence Documentation Centre, Pretoria, South Africa
[ix] National Archives of Australia: B 2455, Pitcher Cyril Frederick / 8017770, viewed on 28 March 2006