Private 25114 William Henry Pearson

Killed in Action on Thursday, 24th August 1916, age 27.
Buried in Grave VIII. H. 6. at Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuile, Somme, France.

13th Bn., Cheshire Regiment. 74th Brigade of 25th Division.

Son of John and Mary Pearson, of 43, Louisa St., Higher Openshaw, Manchester.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Manchester, Resident: Manchester.

First landed France & Flanders, 5th May 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/532300/

Genealogical Data

Birth of William Henry Pearson registered June quarter 1889 in Dudley.

1891 Census
7 Watery Lane, Tipton, Staffs.
John Pearson (23, Iron Moulder, born Tipton), his wife Mary (21, born Tipton), and their two children: William Henry (2, born Tipton), and Betsy (2 months, born Tipton).

1901 Census
22 Forden Street, Openshaw, Manchester.
John Pearson (34, Iron Moulder, born Tipton), his second wife Elizabeth (23, born Southport), John’s son by his first marriage to Mary Pearson: William (12, born Tipton), and John and Elizabeth's son: John (6 months, born Openshaw).

1911 Census
43 Louisa Street, Openshaw, Manchester.
John Pearson (45, Iron Moulder, born Tipton), his 2nd wife Elizabeth (33, born Southport), John's two children by first marriage to Mary Pearson: William Henry (22, Iron Moulder, born Tipton), Selina (18, Waitress, born Manchester), John and Elizabeth's 5 children: Edward (8, born Openshaw), Richard (7, born Openshaw), John (6, born Openshaw), Helen (4, born Openshaw) and Hannah (1, born Openshaw).

Personal Data

After William's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £1/16/2d (1 pound, 16 shillings and 2 pence); this was paid to his father, John, in December 1916. His War Gratuity was £7/0/0d (7 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in December 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that William had enlisted in approximately January 1915.

William’s step-mother, Mrs Elizabeth Pearson, was awarded a Dependant's Pension of 12/6d (12 shillings and six pence) per week for 2 years from 8th May 1917 to 7th May 1919. This was terminated at that date but with a 'Terminal Gratuity' of £16/5/0d (16 pounds and 5 shillings) which was the lump sum of 6 months of the Dependant's Pension. This would suggest that the 'dependency' which led to the pension had ceased, and she she was no longer eligible.

Action resulting in his death

As part of Kitchener’s Third New Army, the 13th (Wirral) Battalion Cheshire Regiment (13/Cheshire) crossed to France in late September 1915. Their first real action was on the west face of Vimy Ridge during late April to May 1916 when they had 2 Officers and 66 Other Ranks killed.

13/Cheshire moved south to the Somme area during June 1916. They were fortunate to be in reserve for the First Day of the Somme; this fortune was not to last. 13/Cheshire was temporarily attached to 12th (Eastern) Division, taking part in an attack on La Boisselle on 7th July when 13/Cheshire had 6 Officers and 103 Other Ranks killed.

After one further attack, on the 16th July at Ovillers, 13/Cheshire spent most of the next month out of the line re-fitting and continuing to train. It was 19th August when they relieved a battalion of the West Riding Regiment in Leipzig Salient/Thiepval Wood area.

Over the next few days 13/Cheshire was employed in repairing and improving trenches in Thiepval Wood, especially at Paisley Avenue trench on the southern edge of the wood. During this time they were subject to German Minenwerfers, these were a type of trench mortar whose blast could have a devastating local effect. German aircraft were active over the 13/Cheshire lines, and trenches were subject to enemy artillery, rifle and machine gun fire.

The 13/Cheshire War Diary entry for 24th August records:
“In Trenches, Thiepval Wood.
Our artillery very active bombarding enemy lines. Enemy retaliated on our front and support lines doing considerable damage. Our trench being badly enfiladed from North. Hostile trench mortars fairly quiet. No hostile working parties observed. Enemy support lines apparently badly damaged as men were observed climbing over parapets. Our Rifles and Lewis Guns active all night. Enemy Minenwerfers silenced by our artillery. Enemy trenches badly damaged by our Mortars. Casualties: Other Ranks 2 killed, 16 wounded.”

William Pearson was one of the 2 Other Ranks killed on that day, the other being Private Daniel Doran, an Irishman living on the Wirral. Both were buried in Paisley Avenue Cemetery. In 1921, the graves of the 284 men buried in Paisley Avenue and Paisley Hillside Cemeteries were exhumed and re-buried in Lonsdale Cemetery.

Newspaper Cuttings

The Manchester Evening News, Wednesday September 27 1916
ROLL OF HONOUR
PEARSON – Private W.H. PEARSON (25114), Cheshire Regiment, killed in action, August 24, 1916.
DUTY NOBLY DONE.
He nobly answered duty’s call,
His life he gave for us and all,
But his unknown grave is the bitterest blow,
None but an aching heart can know.
Deeply regretted by his FATHER and MOTHER, BROTHERS and SISTERS, and his sweetheart ALICE.