- WILLIAM PETTITT, V C, ROTHERHITHE. WW1.
William Pettitt was born in 1898 in Rotherhithe, the son of Henry and Emily Pettitt. In the 1901 Census Henry is listed as a furnace man and the family lived at 4 Forsythe Street. William had three elder sisters, two elder brothers and one younger sister. In the 1911 Census the family was still in Rotherhithe. Henry was stated to be an antimony smelter. William was living with his parents, two elder sisters, one elder brother, one younger brother and two younger sisters. According to the Parish Magazine William had enlisted by November 1914. He joined the 12th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment as a Private on 30th May 1915. His Service No. was 12054. William was killed on 24th August 1916. His death is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Flanders. He was awarded the Victory Medal, the British Medal and the 14 Star Medal. In the West Sussex County Times & Standard dated 23rd September 1916 William was listed as ‘killed in action’. His name was published in the parish magazine for July 1919 as having given his life for King and Country.