Corporal 12129 William Albert Pearson

Died of Wounds on Sunday, 22nd October 1916, age 25.
Buried in Grave V. C. 49. at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, Somme, France.

4th Bn., Worcestershire Regiment. 88th Brigade of 29th Division.

Son of John and Alice Pearson, of 15 Wades Passage, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Dudley, Resident: Tipton.

First landed Balkans, 25th April 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, and St. Matthew's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/272144/

Genealogical Data

Birth of William Albert Pearson registered March quarter 1891 in Dudley.

1891 Census
1 House 1 Court, Castle Road, Tipton, Staffs.
John Pearson (37, Chain Maker, born Dudley), his wife Alice (36, born Dudley), and their 7 children: John (14, Chain Maker – Striker, born Tipton), Clara (12, Scholar, born Tipton), Sarah, 10, Scholar, born Tipton), Fred (8, Scholar, born Tipton), Benjamin (5, Scholar, born Tipton), Rosannah (3, born Tipton), and William A. (3 months, born Tipton).

1901 Census
19 Chaters Passage, Tipton, Staffs.
John Pearson (46, Chain Maker, born Worcester), his wife Alice (47, born Worcester), and their 7 children: Frederick (17, Chain Maker, born Tipton), Benjamin (15, Blacksmith’s Striker, born Tipton), Rosie (13, born Tipton), William (11 – actually 10, born Tipton), Florence (9, Born Tipton), and Arthur (4, born Tipton).

1911 Census
Shaft Barracks, Western Heights, Dover, Kent.
William Pearson, Private in 3rd Worcesters, age 19, Single, born Tipton.

Personal Data

William Pearson’s Worcestershire Regimental Number, 12129, gives an approximate date of enlistment of April 1910; this confirms his 1911 Census entry as a Private with the 3rd Battalion, Worcesters, stationed at Shaft Barracks, Dover.

In August 1914, at the outbreak of war, William was serving with the 4th Battalion Worcesters, (4/Worcs) who were stationed at Meiktila in central Burma (today called Myanmar). They returned to England, landing in February 1915, and joined the newly formed 29th Division. In March 1915 they sailed from Avonmouth to Gallipoli where they first saw action on 25th April 1915 at Cape Helles.

4/Worcs served in Gallipoli until January 1916 when the peninsula was evacuated, 4/Worcs to Egypt. During their time on the Gallipoli peninsula, over 750 Other Ranks of the 4/Worcs lost their lives; 359 were killed on a single day – 6th August - during the Battle for Krithia Vineyard. This included 6 Tipton men.

In March 1916, the battalion landed at Marseilles for service on the Western Front, remaining here for the remainder of the war. By the time William died on 22nd October 1916, 928 Other Ranks (ie excluding officers) of the 4/Worcs had died. As the battalion at full strength was 1000 strong including about 40 officers, the casualty rate was near 100% just to October 1916.

After William's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £16/8/9d (16 pounds, 8 shillings and 9 pence); this was paid to his father, John, in March 1917. His War Gratuity was £13/10/0d (13 pounds, 10 shillings), this was also paid to his father in October 1919. The value of the War Gratuity confirms that William was already serving in the army in August 1914.

A Dependant’s Pension record exists for William in the name of his mother, Mrs Alice Pearson. Although a record exists, it does not record if a pension was actually paid. Her address was the same as in 1911 – 15 Wades Passage, Tipton.

Action resulting in his death

During September 1916, the Allies had gained the villages of Flers, Gueudecourt and Morval, for once giving the advantage of the high ground. The next objective was the low ridge between Gueudecourt and the village of Le Transloy - the Transloy Ridges. In early October the 4th Worcesters returned to the Somme from the Ypres sector ready for an attack on the 18th October. At 8pm on the 17th October in pouring rain, the 4th Worcesters moved to their start position on the north of Gueudecourt.

At 3.40am on the 18th, under an intense British bombardment, the Worcesters advanced northwards. As the barrage lifted, the Worcesters attacked, and made short work of the German defenders. A sunken road beyond the captured trench line was also taken and the dugouts bombed and destroyed. More than 200 German troops were taken prisoner.

The attack was really over before light, and for the rest of the day the Worcesters took whatever cover they could, under a heavy German bombardment. Twice German counter-attacks were seen to be forming up, but were stopped dead by rapid fire. The Worcesters held this position in driving rain, until late the next day when they were relieved. 54 men of the 4th Worcesters were killed on 18th October, with more dying from their wounds on subsequent days.

It is likely that at some stage during this attack, William Pearson was wounded, and evacuated back through the Casualty Clearing system to Heilly where there were 3 Casualty Clearing Stations. He died from his wounds on the 22nd October, and is buried at Heilly Station Cemetery.

Newspaper Cuttings

Birmingham Daily Gazette 28th November 1916
MIDLANDS CASUALTIES.
DIED OF WOUNDS.
Worcesters- Pearson, 12129, Cpl., W., (Tipton).