Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Pykett, a wagoner, born 10th July 1855 in Exton Rutland and his wife Amelia Pykett (nee Downs, married on the 6th June 1881 in Exton, Rutland), born 1st March 1851 in North Colleyweston, Northamptonshire. Harry was born on the 1st March 1891 in Wardley, Rutland, his siblings were, Charles, a schoolboy, born 6th April 1882, Arthur, a schoolboy, born 1886 and Tom Downs, born 1st December1888, all his siblings were born in Wardley, Harry’s maternal Aunt, Mary Downs, a dress maker, born 1857 in Northamptonshire was also residing with the family, in April 1891 the family home was at Wardley. In March 1901 Harry was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at Ayston, Rutand, together with his father, a wagoner, his mother and siblings Arthur, a groom and Tom, a carrier porter. In April 1911 Harry was employed as a farm labourer and was residing in the family home at Ayston, together with his father, a farm horseman, his mother and siblings, Arthur, a grocer’s assistant and Tom, a carrier’s assistant. Harry also had an older sibling, Eliza Ann, born on the 1st June 1884 in Wardley, and died on the 14th December 1884 in Wardley. His father died on the 24th November 1925 in Ayston and his mother died on the 6th February 1929 in Ayston. His brother Tom died of wounds received in action on the 15th September 1916.
Harry’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Army Veterinary Corps, and was allotted the service number SE/5671, with the rank of Horse Keeper, he subsequently transferred as a Rifleman to the Rifle Brigade, and was allotted the service number S/36999 and at the time of his death was attached to the 2/17th Battalion London Regiment – Poplar and Stepney Rifles, he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 11th April 1915, attaining the rank of Lance Corporal. He died on the 8th May 1918 in the 66th Casualty Clearing Station, Syria from wounds received in action. He was awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Harry was a horseman before enlisting in the Army Veterinary Corps., he subsequently transferred to the infantry and served in Egypt and Palestine. He died of wounds in Palestine and was buried on The Mount of Olives.