Searching for James Henry Pearson WW1

[Stuart P Pearson]

Adrian.
Thank you for your interest I will set out that which I know firstly about James Henry Pearson.
James was born 14 December 1887 Peal St Stafford.
Remained un Married and is in 1911 Census living with my Great Grandmother Fanny Gee in 19 Lammascote Road Stafford.
We have him in all previous Census records but after 1911 nothing.
Family story goes that he was killed and body never recovered, he was said to have been mentioned in dispatches in recovering his Machine Gun, perhaps he was in a Machine Gun Regiment, we do not know.
His death is not recorded in CWGC or on Stafford WW1 memorial. We have spent much time and afford trying to trace him and our last hope is that in 2014 perhaps he will be mentioned in the Red Cross records when they are published. Also checked to see if he was "shot at dawn". We are coming to the conclusion he did not go to war and perhaps the family covered this up, sad if true. We have looked into each and every J H Pearson who died in WW1 and cannot identify him in the new Ancestry lists, very frustrating!
We have traced his half brother Alfred Pearson (son of John and Martha Pearson John's second marriage} and visited his grave in "Epehy Wood".
Edwin Gee who actually had a middle name Brooks but since birth we cannot see it was ever used was buried in "Cement House Cemetery" near Ypres and we also visited his grave.
Others of my family who died were _Stephen Kenward (no grave); George Henry Birtles; all very sad.
Any help with these or any others such as William George Pearson born 4th July 1881, who was my Grandfathers Brother who was never mentioned and my Father knew nothing about him, he married in Stoke Upon Trent 23rd Nov 1907 to a May Elizabeth Collier
Regards and thanks.
Stuart P. Pearson.

[peterd]

here the link to copied post

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2888&p=33387#p33387

[apowell]

Hi Stuart,

I've found some information about Edwin Gee's service during the First World War however alot of the information is unreadable but I've done my best:

Edwin Gee's Service History

Personal Details
Name: Edwin Gee
DOB: (abt) 1875
Apparent age: 41 years 7 months
Height: 5 6'
Weight: 126 lbs
Distinctive marks: None
Religion: C of E
Address: 10, Cottage Street, Stafford, Staffordshire
Wife: Jessie Yates (Widow at marriage) married 13th, May 1915, Register Office, Stafford
Children: None
Sisters: None
Brothers: Isaiah Gee, 54 years old & Arthur Gee, 48 years old
Next of Kin: Jessie Gee (wife)
Trade or Calling: Shoe operator
Served in His Majesty's forces prior: No

Attestation of Service
Attestation form: Short Service (Duration of the war)
Enlistment Place: Stafford, Staffordshire
Enlistment date: 22nd, January 1916
Sent to Army reserve: 22nd, January 1916
Enlistment approved: 3rd, April 1917, Lichfield, Staffordshire (A1 condition)
Regiment posting details: North Staffordshire Regiment, 3rd (Reserve) Battalion

Statement of Service
Rank: Private
Regimental No: 38457. North Staffordshire Regiment
Regimental No: G/13937. (Buffs) East Kent Regiment
Joined on Active Service: 2nd, April 1917- North Staffordshire Regiment, 3rd (Reserve) Battalion
Posted on Active Service: 2nd, April 1917- North Staffordshire Regiment, 3rd (Reserve) Battalion
Posted: 19th, June 1917- North Staffordshire Regiment, 1st Battalion
Posted: 19th, June 1917 , France, British Expeditionary Force, North Staffordshire Regiment, 1st Battalion
Transferred: 12th, July 1917- (Buffs) East Kent Regiment, 7th Battalion (Western Front, British Expeditionary Force)
Killed in Action: 12th, October 1917, Belgium , (Buffs) East Kent Regiment, 7th Battalion

Medal Entitlement
British Medal
Victory Medal

Memo from War Office to Infantry Record Office (dated 4th, February 1918)
Please ensure all personnal property and belongings of the deceased in your possession are duly dispatched to
Mrs Jessie Gee
10, Cottage Street
Stafford

Ministry of Pension Award letter
Mrs Jessie Gee is awarded a pension of 15/- per week (no children) from the 13th, May 1918

Regiments History during the war

North Staffordshire
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Whittington, Lichfield. A depot/training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved on mobilisation to Plymouth and in May 1915 to Seaham. Moved again in September 1915 to Forest Hall (Newcastle) for duty with the Tyne Garrison and moved in October 1916 to nearby Wallsend.

North Staffordshire
1st Battalion
August 1914 : at Buttevant. Part of 17th Brigade in 6th Division. Moved to Cambridge and quickly on to Newmarket.
12 September 1914 : landed at St Nazaire.
18 October 1915 : transferred to 72nd Brigade in 24th Division

(Buffs) East Kents Regiment
7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Canterbury in September 1914 as part of K2.
September 1914 : attached to 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division

Edwin was serving at first with the North Staffordshire (1st Battalion) from the 19th, June 1917-12, July 1917 and they were part of the 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. I don't think that the North Staffordshire (1st Battalion) were invovlved in any major engagements during the period of Edwin's service but they were stationed in France or Belgium .

Edwin was transferred to the (Buffs) East Kents Regiment, 7th (Service) Battalion from the 12th, July 1917 until sadly his death on the 12th, October 1917. The (Buffs) East Kents Regiment 7th (Service) Battalion were part of the 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division.

First Battle of Passchendaele, 12, October 1917

18th (Eastern) Division (2nd Army) commanded by General Gough

The (Buffs) East Kents Regiment 7th (Service) Battalion saw action in this battle and sadly Edwin would have been killed during the fighting on the first day.

I found this written about the Battle:

Passchendaele cost over half a million lives over its 3 months. The Germans lost about 250,000 lives and the British 300,000 of whom 36,500 were Australian. 90,000 British or Australian bodies were never identified, 42,000 were never recovered. For 76 years, the name of Passchendaele has been synonymous with all that is loathsome in war, it certainly represents the futility and stupidity of warfare.

Siegfried Sassoon wrote:
"...I died in Hell
(they called it Passchendaele) my wound was slight
and I was hobbling back; and then a shell
burst slick upon the duckboards; so I fell
into the bottomless mud, and lost the light"

I've listed a few links about the battle that will be of interest to you:

http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/ypres3.htm

This link gives you lots of information about the battle (Canadian) and also you can download interviews with Canadian soldiers who actually served at Passchendaele and it's also packed full of other interesting material eg. Battalions war diaries and maps of the battlefield etc.

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/pass ... 103-e.html

I'll look at those other relatives you mentioned later.

Kind regards
Adrian

[MarkCDodd]

Passchendaele was a disgrace.

Some Generals were never made to account for their mindless stupidity.

This was one of the examples of Australian Youth being sacrificed by British Upper Class Twits.