BORN BEVERLEY 30/12/1886. YOUNGEST SON OF SETH PICKERING (1846-1905) & MARY CRAIKE (1848-1904), OF ‘THE HAWTHORNES’, BEVERLEY. EDUCATED AT BEVERLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL. HIS FATHER WAS A CABINET MAKER AND SHOP KEEPER IN BEVERLEY.
HE WORKED AS AN APPRENTCIE CABINET MAKER FOR HIS FATHER AND LATER WAS A RUBBER PLANTER, IN DUTCH BORNEO.
HE ENLISTED IN BEVERLEY, ON 07/04/1915. GAZETTED TO 2ND LIEUTENANT, IN THE 13TH HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY, ON 07/04/1915.
HE MARRIED JEAN ESTELLE BONAR (1891-1962), AT ST MATTHEWS CHIRCH, MORNINGSIDE, EDINBURGH, ON 24/11/1915. JOINED THE MAGUNCOR LODGE, GRANTHAM, ON 01/10/1917.
ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 09/03/1916. PROMOTED TO FULL LIEUTENANT. TRANSFERRED TO THE MACHINE GUN CORPS. WOUNDED AT THE SOMME, ON 15/09/1916. DIED OF WOUNDS ON 14/04/1918, AT THE HERBERT SAMUELSON HOSPITAL, BRIGHTON.
HE WAS AWARDED THE MILITARY CROSS (MC), “FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY IN ACTION. HE FOUGHT HIS MACHINE GUN WITH GREAT COURAGE AND DETERMINATION, REPULSING AN ENEMY COUNTER ATTACK, AT A CRITICAL TIME.” (LONDON GAZETTE, 14/11/1916)
HIS NAME IS LISTED ON THE BEVERLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL MEMORIAL AND THE DE RUVIGNY ROLL OF HONOUR.
HE LEFT £653 IN HIS WILL TO CHARLES RICHARD HUGHILL AND ALFRED HAROLD BEAUMONT, WHO WERE BOTH BANK CASHIERS. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW, JEAN, AT 29 BRAIDBURN CRESCENT, EDINBURGH. HE IS BURIED IN BRIGHTON. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS”
