PEPYS Reginald Whitmore

Berrow’s Worcester Journal, 3rd October 1914:
Capt. R.W. Pepys, who belonged to the 4th Battalion, has had 11 years service.  He was made a second lieutenant in January 1902, and lieutenant in 1904.  He was made a captain and then went to join the West African Regiment.

Berrow’s Worcester Journal, 17th October 1914:
Pepys, Capt. R.W., Worcestershire Regt., died of wounds.
Capt. Pepys was reported on Sept. 26th wounded.  He belonged to the 8th Battalion and had had 11 years’ service.  He was made a second-lieutenant in January 1902, and lieutenant in July, 1904.  He was made captain in 1913.  He was for a time attached to the West African Regiment.  He was the youngest son of the Rev. Canon Pepys, of Church Cookham, Hants, and formerly Vicar of Hallow.  Capt. Pepys was only married in August to Miss Maud Mabel Foster, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Foster, of Iffley, Oxford.

De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour:
Reginald Whitmore Pepys was the youngest son of the Reverend Herbert George Pepys, M.A.. Hon. Canon of Worcester Cathedral, and his wife Louisa Harriet, daughter of John Whitmore Isaac of Boughton Park, Worcester, and grandson of the Right Reverend Henry Pepys, D.D., Bishop of Worcester [younger brother of Charles Christopher, 1st Earl of Cottenham].  He was born at Hallow Vicarage, Worcester on 3rd January 1883 and educated at Haileybury College and the Royal Military College at Sandhurst.  Gazetted as Second Lieutenant, Worcestershire Regiment on 18th January 1902, promoted to Lieutenant 2nd July 1904, served with the West African Regiment from 19th September 1908 to 12th May 1913, obtaining his company 24th May 1913 in which year he rejoined the Worcestershire Regiment and was appointed to the 2nd Battalion; went to France with the Expeditionary Force in August 1914, and died in hospital at Chateau de Vermeil 21st September following, of wounds received in action the previous day, during the Battle of the Aisne.

The Adjutant wrote: “He was shot while leading his men in a very hot corner.  He was doing his duty to the full extent; he could do no more.  He was shot through the chest, and I eventually carried him to the hospital, badly hit, but quite cheerful.  He was commanding A Company when he was killed as Captain Carr, who came out in command of that company, was killed two days before.  He is buried in the beautiful grounds of Chateau de Verneil, which was used as a temporary field hospital”; and Sergeant Hill: “Our first place to go for was an empty trench, which we occupied under heavy gun and rifle fire; but it was an absolute death-trap for anyone to show themselves.  During this time, I can assure you that Captain Pepys gave his orders with the coolness as though he had been at Aldershot.  After a time there was a break in the fire, and then came the final order to charge, and the Captain jumped up, revolver and sword in hand, to lead the company forward, and I was with him.  His wounds were caused by a rifle bullet hitting him in the chest.  We were all pleased to think that we had Captain Pepys posted to take command of the company after the death of our previous commander, the late Captain Carr, and the whole company deeply regretted that he had been taken from us so soon”.  Captain Pepys married at Iffley Church, near Oxford, on 27th July 1914, Maud Mabel, daughter of William Foster, of Beechwood, Iffley.

A photograph of Captain Pepys can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 17th October 1914, available at Worcestershire Archives.