Pte 15833 Kenneth Pearson

• Age: 29
• From: Birkenhead, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 11th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Peronne Rd Cem Maricourt
  Panel Ref: I.C.1

15833 Private Kenneth Pearson, 17^th Battalion KLR. 

Kenneth Pearson was born in 1887 in Birkenhead Cheshire, the son of Stanley Grayson Pearson and his wife Mary (nee Holland) who married in 1867 at Holy Trinity Church, Hoylake. He was baptised on 20th March 1887 at Christ Church, Claughton.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

On 16th June 1915, Dorothy wrote to notify the birth of her son, Charles Hector, on 09th of that month. In return the Army wrote to her at “44 Greenway Road or 145 Woodchurch Road” for a copy of her marriage certificate. Dorothy replied giving her address as 4 Grove End Road, Grantham. On 23rd July 1915 whilst training at Grantham Kenneth was confined to barracks for 2 days for “absenting himself from fatigues”.

He sailed for France on 07th November 1915.

Kenneth was wounded on 10th July 1916 at Trones Wood.

Despite treatment, he died of his wounds at 28 Field Ambulance. His date of death was declared as 11th July 1916 and he was buried in Mariecourt No.3 Cemetery as reported by the Revd P.M. Turnbull, Chaplain to the Forces attached to the 2nd Bedfordshires Regiment.

Kenneth now rests at Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt.

Maricourt was, at the beginning of the Battles of the Somme 1916, the point of junction of the British and French forces, and within a very short distance of the front line; it was lost in the German advance of March 1918, and recaptured at the end of the following August.

The Cemetery, originally known as Maricourt Military Cemetery No.3, was begun by fighting units and Field Ambulances in the Battles of the Somme 1916, and used until August 1917; a few graves were added later in the War, and at the Armistice it consisted of 175 graves which now form almost the whole of Plot I. It was completed after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood and from certain smaller burial grounds. 

There are now 1348, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 366 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 26 soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found.

The cemetery covers an area of 3,787 square metres and is enclosed on three sides by a low red brick wall.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on both 28th & 31st July 1916:

- Pearson – July 11 Died from wounds received in action, age 29 – Private Kenneth Pearson (Pals) the dearly loved husband of Dorothy Pearson 145 Woodbank Road, Birkenhead.

Following his death, Dorothy completed a sworn declaration stating that she was his next of kin; that Kenneth’s father lived at Bank House, Mount Road, Birkenhead as did Kenneth’s brother, Allan; that her son, Charles Hector, was born on 19th(sic) June 1915; another brother, Charles, lived in Birkenhead Road, Hoylake; and Kenneth had “no mother”.

In 1920 Kenneth’s three medals were sent to his widow at 44 Daffodil Road, Birkenhead, as were his effects - 1 disc, a metal watch and a purse.

His Widow remarried in 1920 to Edwin Thomas Dean.

Soldiers Effects to widow Dorothy, Pension to widow Dorothy Agnes Dean (remarried).

Kenneth is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Bank of Liverpool and Martins Ltd situated in the hall of the Martins Bank Building in Liverpool.

Liverpool Hall of Remembrance Panel 54.

His father died in the December quarter of 1933 in Devon, aged 95.

In May 1936, Kenneth’s brother, Allan, wrote to the War Office asking for details of Kenneth’s grave “so that Mr Ballanger of the British Legion might find it”. In June 1936 he wrote again, explaining that his wife had thrown their reply in the fire by mistake and asking for the same information, which was supplied.

We currently have no further information on Kenneth Pearson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.