Gunner William George Pearce

William George Pearce was baptised in Fulham on 31 January 1897. His parents were Ernest William Meyer and Annie Pearce of 47 Rosaville Road, Fulham and his father worked as a plumber. In 1901 the family had moved to Rylstan Road, Fulham and George had a younger sister, Dorothy. By 1911 George’s parents and four younger siblings, three girls and a boy, were living at 3 Queen’s Place, Queen’s Road, Morden. His father still worked as a plumber. William, however, was now living with his grandparents James and Fanny Wade in Palmerstone House, Otherfield Road, Yiewsley, Middlesex where he attended the local school. His grandfather was an army and London County Council pensioner.

It is not known when and where William enlisted. He was a gunner with the 134th Battalion Royal Field Artillery and he embarked for the Western Front on 8 August 1915. His service number was 77904. The Royal Field Artillery was responsible for the medium calibre guns and howitzers deployed near the front line. It was organised into brigades attached to divisions or higher formations. Gunner Pearce’s battalion was active on the Somme throughout 1916 and it is possible that he was wounded in the final phase of the Somme campaign at the Battle of the Ancre. He died of his wounds on 25 January 1917. He was 19 years old.

Gunner Pearce is buried at the Bray Military Cemetery in France l.D.29. His name also appears on one of the panels in the Lychgate at St. Lawrence Church, Morden, which serves as the parish war memorial It is likely that his parents, who were living at 3 Queen’s Place, Queen’s Road, Morden at the time of his death, were members of the St Lawrence Church congregation.