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Brigadier General Walter William PITT-TAYLOR CMG CB DSO, Croce di Guerra Italian Silver Medal
1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) Date of birth: 30th August 1878 Date of death: 22nd November 1950 Died aged 72 Buried at Tynan Churchyard, County Armagh
Walter William Pitt-Taylor was born at 85 Queens Gate, Brompton on the 30th of August 1878 the son of Charles Pitt-Taylor and Constance (nee Hemming) Pitt-Taylor of 85 Queen's Gate. He was educated at Hazelwood School and at Eton College from 1892 to 1895 where he was in Sir Walter Durnford's House. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion Rifle Brigade (Militia) on the 4th of December 1895 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 9th of December 1896. He transferred to the 1st Battalion of his regiment with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on the 18th of October 1899 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st of August 1900. He served in the South African War from November 1899 to the end of the war with, being present at the relief of Ladysmith, including the action at Colenso, in January and February 1900, at Vaa Kranz and Tugela Heights from the 14th to the 27th of February 1900 and at Pieter's Hill; operations in Natal from March to June 1900; operations at Transvaal, east of Pretoria, from July to the 29th of November 1900; operations in the Transvaal December 1900 to the 31st of May 1902. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 29th of July 1902). He received the Queen's Medal with four clasps and the King's medals with two clasps and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 31st of October 1902). His citation read: - "Walter William Pitt-Taylor Lieutenant Rifle Brigade. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa." He was adjutant of the Rifle Brigade from the 17th of July 1903 to the 16th of July 1906 and was promoted to Captain on the 23rd of January 1905. He was on special service in Egypt from the 5th of October 1908 to the 4th of April 1909 and from the 3rd of September to the 4th of October 1909. In 1913 he graduated from the Staff College. Following the outbreak of war in 1914 he was appointed as a General Staff Officer 3rd Grade at 3rd Army Corps from the 5th of August 1914 to the 31st of March 1915; he embarked for France on the 27th of August 1914. On the 3rd of June 1915 he was promoted to Brevet Major and served as Brigade Major, 12th Infantry Brigade from the 1st of April to the 30th of September 1915. He was promoted to Major on the 1st of September 1915 and was promoted to General Staff Officer 2nd Grade with 37th Division from October 1st 1915 to the 4th of February 1916. He was promoted to Brevet Lieutenant Colonel on the 1st of January 1917 and served as a General Staff Officer 1st Grade with 4th Army from the 5th of February 1916 to the 30th of October 1917. He served with 14th Army Corps from the 31st of October 1917 to the 9th of November 1917. He served in Italy as part of the British Mission with the Italian Army from the 11th of October 1917 to the 27th of August 1918 and was promoted to Brevet Colonel on the 3rd of June 1918. He served as a Temporary Brigadier General with 145th Infantry Brigade from the 28th of August 1918 to the 8th of October 1918 and as a Brigadier General with the General Staff of 14th Army Corps from the 9th of October 1918 to the 9th of March 1919. In all he was mentioned in despatches nine times during the war. For his services in Italy he was awarded the Croce di Guerra on the 29th of November 1918. On the 10th of March 1919, following his return from Italy, he was appointed as Temporary Military Assistant to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir Henry Wilson, and served at the War Office. He was created a CMG in 1918 and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the King's Birthday Honours List of the 3rd of June 1919. On the 8th of November 1920 he took up the position of Director of Military Operations at the headquarters of the army in India and was promoted to Colonel on the 26th of February 1921. He left his post in India on the 31st of March 1923 becoming Commanding Officer of 17th Indian Infantry Brigade from the 3rd of April 1923 until the 20th of May 1925. On the 18t of June 1925 he was appointed as Commanding Officer of 5th Infantry Brigade at Aldershot, a position he held until the 31st of December 1928. He served as Aide De Camp to King George V from the 21st of May 1926 until the 31st of December 1928. He was promoted to Major General on the 1st of January 1929 and returned to the War Office the same day as Director of Recruiting and Organisation until the 21st of November 1932. On the 22nd of November 1932 he was posted to Bulford to command 3rd Division and was promoted to Lieutenant General on the 16th of June 1934. He stepped down from 3rd Division on the 15th of October 1934. He was made a Knight Commander of the Bath in the King's New Years Honours List of the 1st of January 1935 and was appointed as Lieutenant of the Tower of London on the 1st of March 1935 but left that position on the 21st of September. On the 19th of October 1935 he returned to India as General Officer Commanding Western Command. He was promoted to General on the 17th of August 1938 and left this position on the 1st of November 1938. He retired from the army to the reserve list on the 26th of January and name was removed from the Reserve of Officers on the 30th of August 1940 due to his age He was married to Daphne Helen (nee Stronge) at Tynan, County Armagh on the 14th of February 1920; they had no children.

Went on to Eton College