PEARSON, Frank William


No.3/8958, Private Frank William PEARSON
Aged 20


2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Died at home on 24th November 1918


Frank William Pearson was born in Great Welnetham on 24th April 1897( 2nd qtr 1897 Thingoe 4a:784) son of James William and Martha Maria PEARSON (née PETTITT)

1901 census...Aged 3, he was at 7 Haywards Cottages, Great Welnetham with his father James PEARSON [28] road foreman born Chatham, Kent; his mother Martha [29] born Woolwich; sister Edith [9] born Bury St. Edmunds, brothers George [10] Frederick [6] and Richard [1]. All the boys were born in Great Welnetham.

1911 census...Aged 14, a farm labourer, he was at Brooks Farm, Hawstead with his parents; brothers George and Frederick, both farm labourers, Richard, Ernest [9] Arthur [7], Walter [5] and Albert [5 months]; sister Hilda [3]. All the new siblings were born in Great Welnetham.

On the pension card application form after his death his address was 33 Thurston Road, Lewisham.



He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds on 27th April 1914, giving his age as 18 yrs 3 days, born Sicklesmere. He was a farm labourer, 5 feet 7.9 inches tall, weighing 123 lbs, chest 33 to 35 inches, grey eyes, brown hair, Church of England.
Posted to the 3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, No.3/8958, mobilised on 8th August and joined the 2nd battalion in France on 3rd December 1914.
Near Brandhoek, Ypres, on 30th September, he was hit in the left leg by shrapnel and while being moved to safety was hit by a second shell which inflicted wounds to his back and right hand. Admitted to 8th Field Ambulance on 1st October and sent to 10 C.C.S.
From there he was sent on 5th October to 11 General Hospital, Boulogne, suffering from gun shot wounds to left leg and right hand. Classed as dangerously ill on 10th October. On October 20th his left leg was amputated about the middle of the thigh, and the index and middle fingers were amputated on his right hand. Judged fit to travel he was evacuated to UK via HMHS "Munich", arriving UK on 4th November. The Board at King George Hospital, Stamford Street London on 25th July 1916 assessed him as permanently unfit for active service and he was discharged (effective 29th July 1916).
At that time his next of kin, his father, was at Brooks Green, Hawstead. He apparently then resided at 33 Thurston Road, Lewisham where he died on 24th November 1918.




The above three images are the path to establishing Frank's identity. As the application for pension was denied, the Army have not accepted that his death was due to or aggravated by military service. That being so rules out his being accepted on the records of CWGC. As can be seen from his death certificate below, the Army quite justifiably assumed no responsibilty for Frank's death as the cause was influenza 2 years after discharge.


Crown Copyright 2022



Frank Pearson is buried in Great Welnetham (St.Thomas a Becket) Churchyard
He is not named in CWGC records

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