King Edward’s School and the Great War

Memorial Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918

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Pipe, David Archibald

Captain ▪ Royal Marine Light Infantry

David Archibald Pipe, born on 30th October 1884, was admitted to King Edward’s School in September 1895, aged 10. His father, Thomas, was a Unitarian Minister, and the family, including stepmother, Annie, and two older siblings, lived at 216, St Saviour’s Road, Aston. At some point, the family moved to Coombe Martin, Devon.

According to School records, David did not excel academically during his time at KES, nor did he have a particularly noteworthy sporting career (apart from a medal for Junior Rugby in 1898), and his older brother, Thomas, rather overshadowed him.

In 1914, David enlisted as a Private Soldier in the London Scottish Regiment. He gained his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders the following year, and in November 1915, he transferred to the Royal Marine Light Infantry as a full Lieutenant. He saw action at Beaucourt on the Somme in 1916 where he sustained a badly sprained ankle and was sent home to convalesce. After rejoining his Battalion in early 1917, he saw action at Vimy Ridge, as a result of which he was promoted to Captain. David was killed on 30th October 1917, aged thirty-three, at the Battle of Passchendaele, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Flanders, and on the Coombe Martin War Memorial, Devon.