Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas Clifton PITTAWAY

Military Cross

Recommendtion

Action –

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On the 12th of October 1917, near Passchedaele  he led his platoon forward with great dash and initiative although subjected to intense artillery bombardment and enfilade machine gun fire. He succeeded in reaching objective and immediately organised the line from his Coy. to dig in. He inspired all ranks by his example of sacrifice and fine initiative.’

Recommended by  C.O 34th Battalion

Source: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 23 May 1918 on page 1126 at position 27

 The weekly newspaper the Bendigoian reported the following on November 18, 1915:- Sergeant T. Pittaway, an old boy of the Bendigo High School, is at present enjoying 12 days' final leave from the Liverpool camp. Sergeant Pittaway, whose parents reside at Kangaroo Flat, succeeded in passing the entrance examination for the Commonwealth Public Service, and was appointed to the Land Tax department in Sydney, where he enlisted. His many friends will be pleased to learn of his rapid advancement, and will join in wishing him bon voyage and a safe return from the front.[1]

The next news on Thomas would feature in the Bendigo Independent in June 1917: - Mrs. Pittaway, of Kangaroo Flat, has received word from the Base Records Office to the effect that her son, 2nd-Lieut, T. C. Pittaway, has been admitted to 30th General Hospital, Calais, France suffering from mild gunshot wounds. Lieut. Pittaway was educated at the Bendigo High School, and through passing examination he was employed at the Sydney G.P.O. He enlisted from there, and entered camp on September 13, 1915. He sailed on May 13, 1916, and after spending some time in England was transferred to France on November 21 and was fighting from then till he was wounded on 8/6/17.[2]

The final piece of news would be published in the Bendigo Advertiser under the heading: - BENDIGONIAN HONORED

‘Official information has been received by Mr. G Pittaway of Kangaroo Flat, to the effect that his youngest son, Lieutenant T. C. Pittaway, of the 34th Battalion, has been awarded the Military Cross, for conspicuous services on the battlefield. Lieutenant Pittaway is 22 years of age, and a native of Bendigo. Three years ago he left this city and went to Sydney, -where he enlisted. He sailed from Australia on 13th May, 1915, and has been wounded four times. At present he is in a convalescent home in England.’[3]

Very few soldiers from Bendigo would be made a ‘Non Commissioned Officer’ prior to embarking for war. In Thomas Pittaway’s case he was promoted to Sergeant five months after enlisting at the Warrick Farm Recruitment depot in Sydney. He would embark for war in the May and be at the front in France by end of November 1916. Thomas must have impressed his officers as he is promoted to Second Lieutenant the following February, 1917. He would be wounded the first time in June 1917 with a ‘Gun Shot Wound’ to the left arm. He would recover in England and return to his unit the 34th in August, 1917. He would be wounded again at the first battle at Passchendaele on October 12, and undertake his heroic deeds leading his platoon. 

Thomas would be wounded another two times in early 1918 and suffer from ‘Debility’ which rendered him unfit for duty for three months. He would recuperate in England at the AIF camp in Tidworth in southern England, returning to his unit in France in late October 1918 as the war was drawing to a close.

SERVICE DETAILS: 

Regimental No. 4

Date of birth: August 1894

Place of birth: Bendigo Victoria

Religion: Methodist

Occupation: Clerk

Address: Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo

Marital status: Single

Age at embarkation: 21

Next of kin: Father, Geo Pittaway, Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo

Enlistment date: 13 September 1915 in Sydney

Rank on enlistment: Sergeant

Unit name 36th Battalion, Promotion date: 18 February 1917

Final Rank: Lieutenant

Fate: Returned to Australia, 12 June 1919

Medal Source: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette                 

23 May 1918 on page 1126 at position 27

PASSCHENDAELE 

As a part of the continuing Third Battle of Ypres on the Western Front, Australian, New Zealand and British troops were involved in an unsuccessful attempt to seize the Passchendaele Ridge from the defending Germans on 12 October 1917. The vicious fighting took place in the most appalling of waterlogged conditions, which helped render the name Passchendaele a synonym for slaughter.[4]

British Field Marshall Haig is largely blamed for this senseless loss of life on the Flanders killing fields. Haig went on with this battle, even though the rain and bitter cold had set in and on October the 12th. He ordered another attack, which was fated to fail miserably, with men struggling up to their knees and waists in the dreadful stinking mud and with their rifles and machine guns clogged with it. The only solid objects in this endless waste of cratered mud were the German concrete pillboxes with their machine guns which were protected from the mud and which operated only too well.

This attack cost 7000 casualties. The exhausted Australians were at last withdrawn but Haig was still pathologically obsessed with capturing Passchendaele Village and ordered the Canadians to take over the battle. However the Canadian General Currie, who retained his common sense and refused to move until the weather had eased and adequate supplies were available

[1] Bendigonian Thu 18 Nov 1915  Page 8 LOCAL WAR ITEMS.
[2] The Bendigo Independent, Tue 26 Jun 1917  Page 5
[3] Bendigo Advertiser, Thu 20 Jun 1918  Page 5 BENDIGONIAN HONORED                                                                                     [4] https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/29