Name
Walter Charles Pearce
12 Oct 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/11/1917
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23634
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HITCHIN CEMETERY
South East Extension Grave 756
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
Walter was born in 12 Oct 1880 in Hitchin and christened on 25 December 1880 in Pirton – his mother’s birthplace. His parents were John and Ann Pearce.
In 1881 the family were living at Buckland Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: John (25) and Ann (26), with John working as an agricultural labourer. Their children were: Gertrude (4), Sarah Ann (2) and Walter Charles (5 months). Walter’s grandmother was also present, Phoebe Stapleton (54), who was listed as a pauper.
By 1891 the family were living at 59 Old Park Road, Hitchin, an address which remained the family home through the remaining records. Present were both parents, with John working as a general labourer. Their children were: Gertrude W (14), Sarah Ann (12), Walter Charles (10), Kate C (8), Eller L (4), and the mother-in-law was still living there.
Sometime member of W O Times’ bible class.
By 1901 Walter had left the family home and was boarding at Frythe Lodge, London Road, Welwyn, Herts., with Harriet Allen (76), and working as domestic gardener, probably at the Frythe.
By 1911 Walter (30) had moved on and was living at 78 Church Street, Chelsea, London, SW., now working as a labourer horticultural in a nursery and boarding with the Parfitt family.
He enlisted in Bedford on 29 November 1915, he worked as a gardener, was 35 years and 1 month old, 5’ 7 ½” tall, weighed 140 lbs. and when fully expanded his chest was 37 ½”.
Wartime Service
Walter was on Home service between 29 November 1915 to 9 July 1916 during which time he was posted to the Base Depot (1/12/1915), Training Depot (2/12/1915). He landed in France on 10 July 1916 and immediately went to the BEF 17 Base Depot and was posted to the 4th Bn. Bedfordshires 29 July 1916.
On the 23rd April 1917 the 4th Bedfords attacked Gavrelle in the Arras sector. The Battalion went straight through the village gaining its objective and consolidating the northern outskirts. It was very heavily shelled during the day, was counter-attacked, but succeeded in driving the enemy off.
He was injured in the spine by a shell fragment near Arras on the 23 April 1917. The fighting there was especially heavy on the 23rd and 24th April 1917. He would have passed through the military medical system and was returned to the UK on the 30 April 1917.
He was transferred to the King's Hospital in Stamford Street, London in the 29 April 1917 for treatment. His notes read:
“Wounded Apl 24/17 (24/4/1917). (Spine) At once lost power & sensation in legs. On admission - Small deep septic wound leading down to bone just to left of 8th D.V. Complete flaccid paraplegia. Retention of urine & incontinence of faeces. X-ray report - Large F.B. impacted between the 1st & 2nd L.V. to the Rt. Localised injury at bone. Urine acid, a little pus. Still under treatment.” He recommended for discharge and permanently unfit for war service on 29 May 1917.
He was officially discharged as no longer fit for war service on the 19 June 1917, with home discharge address as 59 Old Park Road, Hitchin “A steady well conducted man. He has been very severely wounded in action.”. He was 36 years 7 months old and was described as 5’ 8” tall with Brown eyes, dark brown hair, with a fresh complexion. He had a scarred back as a result a gun shot wound – actually a shrapnel wound. But on the 19 September 1917 he was still in hospital, and it was note that he must remain there until a suitable home could be found.
A local newspaper reported that there had been every hope of a recovery - although that seems unlikely from the medical notes - and that every week a member of the family had been to visit him in London. However, he did not recover and died on November 21st, 1917.
He was returned to Hitchin, and his funeral service was in St. Mary's Church, Hitchin with a graveside ceremony conducted in Hitchin Cemetery with military honours, including a firing party of a sergeant, twelve men and a bugler. His parents and many family members attended, including a brother Hubert, who had been invalided back from Franc. Anther serving brother, Edward, was unable to return from France. It was reported that crowd attended, of whom some 200 had to remain outside of the church.
Additional Information
After his discharge and subsequent death £1 4s 0d pay owing was authorised to go to his father, John, on 3 April 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £6 10s 0d was authorised to be paid to him on 10 November 1919.
His pension cards record Ann Pearce, his mother, as his dependant, living at 59 Old Park Road, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 3s 6d a week from 18 January 1918.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
