Private 564180 Joseph Pearce
Photograph courtesy of Fay Polson.
Died Home on Saturday, 3rd May 1919, age 32.
Buried in Grave E. C. 246 at Barnsley (Ardsley) Cemetery, Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Labour Corps.
Formerly 781 18th York & Lancaster Regiment.
Son of Joseph and Nancy Pearce, of Princes End, Tipton, Staffs; husband of Minnie Mary Pearce, of 6, Pinfold Hill, Ardsley, Barnsley
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Unknown, Resident: Ardsley, Yorks.
First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: 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/2751589/
Genealogical Data
1901 Census
79 High Street, Princes End, Tipton, Staffs.
Joseph Pearce (41, Coalminer, born Sedgley), his wife Nancy (40, born Tipton), and their 8 children: Thomas (19, Boiler Maker, born Sedgley), Emily (17, born Sedgley), Joseph (14, Iron Moulder - Learner, born Sedgley), William (11, born Sedgley), Nancy (9, born Sedgley), Isaac (6, born Sedgley), Betsy (3, born Sedgley) and Ernest (1, born Tipton).
1911 Census
21 Elliots Terrace, Wombwell, Barnsley, Yorks.
Lodging with W.H. Snead (31, Miner, born Princes End) was Joseph Pearce (24, Coal Trammer, born Staffordshire).
Personal Data
Joseph enlisted with the 18th York & Lancaster but, presumably after being wounded, was transferred to the Labour Corps.
Joseph's eldest brother, Thomas Richard Pearce, was killed at Gallipoli serving with the RMLI (Plymouth Battalion) on 4th July 1915. He was killed by the same shell which killed his friend and fellow Tipton man J Lotwick at camp in Cape Helles. Joseph's younger brother, William, was also at Gallipoli with the RMLI (Plymouth Battalion) but survived. William was discharged as no longer fit for military service on 25th July 1918 after having received a Gun Shot Wound to the left thigh at Passchendaele on 26th October 1917 whilst serving with the 2nd Royal Marines. In civilian life William returned to mining and lived until 1960, dying at the age of 71.
Action resulting in his death
Joseph was transferred to the Labour Corps, suggesting that he was no longer fit for front-line service either due to wounds or sickness. As his Service Papers did not survive, we do not know the circumstances or date, but do know that his war service was contributory to his death on 3rd May 1919, as he is buried with a CWGC headstone at Barnsley (Ardsley) Cemetery.
Newspaper Cuttings
None.