Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Ypres Reservoir Cemetery | IX. H. 36. Flanders | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.132 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 22C GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of Richard and Anne Pearson. An Analytical Chemist.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry |
1/5th Battalion August 1914 : at Stockton-on-Tees. Part of York & Durham Brigade, Northumbrian Division. Moved to Hartlepools on 10 August, then Ravensworth Park. Was back at Newcastle by October. 18 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne. 14 May 1915 : became 150th Brigade in 50th (Northumbrian) Division. 12 February 1918 : transferred to 151st Brigade in same Division. 15 July 1918 : reduced to cadre strength and transferred to Lines of Communication. 16 August 1918 : transferred to 117th Brigade in 39th Division. 9 November 1918 : disbanded in France. |
| Action : The Battles of Ypres 1915 (Second Ypres) |
22 April - 25 May 1915. On the 22nd April 1915 the Germans used poison gas at Ypres. This was the first 'official' use of gas and took the Allies by surprise. After initial success capitalising on the confusion and horror of this weapon, a heroic stand, initially by the Canadians and then supported by British and Indian Battalions, held the German advance. However it became clear that the Germans had achieved a tactical advantage and eventually the British were forced to retire to more a more defendable perimeter closer to Ypres. These positions were on the last ridges before Ypres and their loss would have resulted in the loss of the town and possibly open the Channel coast to German occupation with disastrous consequences for the re-supply of the BEF.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Marquess of Ripon No. 1379 E.C. | Durham |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
5th March 1908 | 2nd April 1908 | 4th June 1908 |
Senior Deacon
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley