Biography of Private Harry Pearce (SP/2547)
9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers Regiment
Formerly 24th Royal Fusiliers Regiment
And Royal Navy
Died 7th October 1916

Soldier

  • Name: Harry Pearce
  • Date of birth: 27th June 1884
  • Place of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: July – September 1884
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: John Thomas Pearce
  • DOB: 1852
  • Place of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Postmaster, Printer and Stationer

Mother

  • Name: Harriet March
  • DOB: 1848
  • Place Of Birth: Swinstead, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 26th February 1876 Swinstead, Lincolnshire, England

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • William Pearce, 1877, Bourne
  • Evelyn Mary Pearce, 1879, Bourne
  • Elizabeth Pearce, 1881, Bourne
  • Thomas (Tom) Pearce, 1882, Bourne
  • Harry Pearce, 1884, Bourne
  • Edward March Pearce, 1887, Bourne
  • Eliza Pearce, 1889, Bourne

Census

  • 1891: Harry is living with his parents at The Post Office, Market Place, Bourne, Lincolnshire.
  • 1901: Harry in living on board the Majectic in Gibraltar. He is listed as a signalman.
  • 1911: Harry can not be found as of yet.
Relatives in services

  • None found

Marriage

  • No marriage for Harry has been found and we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • Grantham Journal Saturday Saturday 1st October 1904
    Mr. HARRY PEARCE, son of Mr. J. T. Pearce, postmaster, of Bourne, has successtully passed an examination in navigation, seamanship, and instruments, at the Seamen’s Institute, London, thereby obtaining a second mate’s certificate.

 

  • The Times Wednesday February 16th 1916
    WOUNDED
    R. FUSILIERS. 24th BN. (2ND SPORTSMAN’S)
    Pearce, 2547 H.

 

  • Sheffield Daily Telegraph Wednesday 13th September 1916
    WOUNDED
    ROYAL FUS.
    Pearce (2547), H. (Bourne)

 

  • The Times Wednesday September 13th 1916
    WOUNDED
    R. FUS
    Pearce 2547 H.

 

  • War Office Casualty List 11th July 1917
    N.C.O’S and MEN
    Previously Reported Missing, Now Reported Killed.
    Royal Fusiliers
    Pearce 2547 Private H. (Bourne)

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • None found

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Private Harry Pearce, SP/2547, 9th Bn London Regiment was killed in action on 7th October 1916 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • None found

Effects Left To

  • Brother William

Medals

  • The British Medal
  • The Victory Medal
  • The 15 Star

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Bourne, Roll of Honour in Bourne Abbey Church
  • Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In memory of Private Harry Pearce, SP/2547, 9th Bn., Royal Fusiliers Regiment who died on 7 October 1916 Age 32
  • Son of John Thomas and Harriet Pearce, of 45, North Rd., Bourne, Lincs.
  • Remembered with honour, Thiepval Memorial
  • Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A.

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • Enlisted in London

 

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • British Newspaper Archive.
  • Fold 3
  • Find My Past
  • Genealogist
  • Forces War Records
  • British Army Service Numbers
  • War Gratuity Calculator
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
  • General Registry Office