Private Samuel Pillar


Service Army Service No. 9437
Rank Private
Regiment:Coldstream Guards, 2nd Battalion
Date of Birth: 1896
Born Cofton 		Date of Death: 08/11/1914
Memorial: Dawlish Memorial Inscription PILLAR. S. PTE. COLDM GDS

Service History

Samuel enlisted with the Coldstream Guards, 2nd Battalion as a Private, service no: 9437. His record shows that he enlisted on 22 January 1912, and that his prior trade was a general labourer.
The 2nd Battalion trained in Windsor before landing at Le Havre on the 13th August 1914.
The 2nd Battalion joined the 4th Guards Brigade, 2nd Division and were engaged in many actions. It is not certain how Samuel Pillar died. It is only recorded that he was 'Killed in Action' on the 8th November 1914.

Association with Dawlish

Samuel was the youngest of eight children of William Pillar (1854-1900) and Bessie Collings (1854-1922 ).

In 1901 Bessie is shown as a widow aged 45, living in Park Row and working as a Charwoman, Parish Relief, with three more children of which Samuel is the youngest at 5 years old. He is shown in the census as being born in Starcross. The 1911 census shows Bessie Pillar living at 22 Old Town Street, Dawlish and Samuel is 15 with no occupation shown.
Devon Roll of Honour Pillar, Samuel, Private, Coldstream Guards, 8th November 1914
Additional Information Commonwealth War Graves Site


Next of Kin: Bessie Pillar, mother
Last Known Address: 22 Old Town Street, Dawlish


Coldstream Guards cap badge

Grenadier Guards 1914 in London

First Battle of Ypres

Free Birth Marriage & Death records

Refs via subscription services:

Census records

UK, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour (gives the birth date of 13 Jan 1894- thought to be error-ed)

Uk, Army Register of Soldiers' Effects

UK, Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919

Ancestry family trees, HARRIS and MILLEN.