Cpl 16332 Alfred Pearson

• Age: 23
• From: Everton, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16332 Corporal Alfred PEARSON, 18^th Battalion, KLR.

Alfred was born on 05th May 1893 at 12 Stockbridge Street, Everton, Liverpool, and was baptised 12th July 1893 at St Saviour's Church, Everton. He was the son of Thomas Pearson and his wife Jane (nee Scott), they were married on the 05^th May 1885 at St Michael's Church, Toxteth.  Thomas was a 23 year old cab driver of Warwick Street, father Thomas, whilst Jane was aged 21 of Stanhope Street, father John.   
 
The 1901 Census finds the family at 12 Stockbridge Street, Everton. His father Thomas, aged39, is shown to have been born in Liverpool and is a cab driver, his mother, aged 37, was born in Birkenhead. Alfred is aged 7, his siblings declared at home at the time of the Census are: Thomas 15, Lilian 11, Joseph 9, John 5, William 2 and Arthur 1 month. All of the children were born in Liverpool.

The 1911 Census shows the family have now moved to 63 Granton Road, Everton and the father Thomas is aged 49 and a cab proprietor and his wife Jane aged 47, has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty five years and have had nine children of which five had died. Alfred is now aged 17 and an elementary school student teacher. His siblings declared on the Census are: Lilian 21, who assist in housework, William aged 12 and Arthur 10 are both at school, James is aged 4, born 1907 and Jane aged 2 born 1909. 
 
Alfred enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914 joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16332. He gave his age as 21 years and 120 days and his occupation as teacher. (Boaler Street School). He was described as being five feet eleven and three quarter inches tall, weighed 160lbs, with a 38" chest, a brown complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin as his father, Thomas, 69 Granton Road.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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 19^th June 1915 he was promoted to paid Lance Corporal and on 1^st September 1915 to paid Corporal. He crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 07^th November 1915.

On 12^th January 1916 was admitted to a Field Ambulance suffering from a gunshot wound to his nose. He rejoined his unit on 15^th January.

He was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 23 years, whilst serving with “A” Company.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

Alfred's death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 24th July 1916:

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Alfred is also remembered on the following Memorials

St Simon and St Jude Church, Anfield Road, now stored in the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral.

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 54.

Grateful thanks are extended to both John Hankin and Chelsie Faulks for the wonderful photograph of Alfred now shown on this site. John for contacting the site and sourcing the photograph and to Chelsie for permission to use it.