Thomas Reginald Pearce
Memorial: Hallen - Hallen Road
Regiment: Worcestershire Regiment
Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Private 40247 (formerly 3195 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars)
Parents: Albert Henry and Mary Alice (nee Dowswell) Pearce
Marital status: Single
Home address: Home Address: Bargoed, Glamorgan (details unknown) Lived: 1901 Census – Chapmans Farm, Upper Patchway, Almondsbury
Pre-war occupation: Unknown
Date of birth: 1898
Date of death: 11/05/1916
Buried/Commemorated at: No Known Grave – Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, France
Age: 17
Further information:
Thomas was born in 1898 (3rd Quarter) and Baptised at St Mary's Church, Almondsbury on 8 January 1899.
Thomas's mother Mary died in 1899 age 36 and was buried in the church cemetery of St Mary's, Almondsbury on 13 August 1899 . His father died in 1905 then age 42.
By the time of the 1911 Census, William Pearce was an inmate in the Thornbury Workhouse. I assume after the death of his father, William and possibly some of his brothers and sisters were moved into the workhouse, and as he was the youngest, was the last to leave. On the Soldiers died records, his residence was noted as Bargoed, Glamorganshire, which at the time was a colliery town, which is where he probably worked after leaving the workhouse.
Thomas almost certainly lied about his age when he enlisted, as many of his age at the time. The official minimum age to fight was 19, but many were younger.
The soldier’s effects were distributed to his sisters Gladys, Gertrude, and Ellen and to his Brothers Fred and Albert.
Thomas served with the 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment and died on 11/05/1916 (Missing presumed killed in action).
Thomas is commemorated on the Hallen Road, Hallen memorial and the Patchway memorial.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Findmypast (Soldiers Died during the Great War, 1901 & 1911 Census etc), Researcher John Davis.