Henry William Pitcher
Lieutenant, Bengal Staff Corps and Adjutant to 4th Punjab Infantry
- Register No.
- 989 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- Bengal Staff Corps and Adjutant to 4th Punjab Infantry all 4th Punjab Infantry VCs →
- Date of action
- 30 October 1863 on this day → all of 1863 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Umbeyla Campaign
- London Gazette
- 16th July 1864 on this day → all of 1864 →
- Born
- in 1841 in Somerset
- Died
- 5th July 1875 at Dehra Ghazeekhan, Punjab, India
- Memorial / grave
- not known
Digest of citation
For a daring and gallant manner on 30th October 1863, Lieutenant Pitcher when he led a party of his Regiment to capture the Crag Picquet after its garrison had been driven in by the enemy, 60 of them having been killed during the desperate hand-to-hand fighting on this occasion. Because of the rock formation leading to the Crag top, it could only be approached by one or two men at a time. Lieutenant Pitcher coolly led a party of the Regiment up to the last rock, until he was stunned, by a large stone thrown by the enemy from above, causing him to be knocked down. When the Crag Picquet, having fallen into enemy once more, was attacked again, Lieutenant Pitcher displayed great gallantry , on 13th November, when he led, by several yards, another charge in an endeavour to recapture the Picquet. On this occasion, he was severely wounded and had to be carried back
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
PITCHER, Henry William. (reg No. 989).
Lieutenant. Bengal Staff Corps and Adjutant to 4th Punjab Infantry.
London Gazetted on 16th July 1864.
Born in 1841 in Somerset.
Died on 5th July 1875 at Dehra Ghazeekhan, Punjab, India.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: For a daring and gallant manner on 30th October 1863, Lieutenant Pitcher when he led a party of his Regiment to capture the Crag Picquet after its garrison had been driven in by the enemy, 60 of them having been killed during the desperate hand-to-hand fighting on this occasion. Because of the rock formation leading to the Crag top, it could only be approached by one or two men at a time. Lieutenant Pitcher coolly led a party of the Regiment up to the last rock, until he was stunned, by a large stone thrown by the enemy from above, causing him to be knocked down. When the Crag Picquet, having fallen into enemy once more, was attacked again, Lieutenant Pitcher displayed great gallantry , on 13th November, when he led, by several yards, another charge in an endeavour to recapture the Picquet. On this occasion, he was severely wounded and had to be carried back.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
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