Wednesday 27 May 2015

Pearson, Sydney - Private (33880)

(No soldier photo available)
13th Battalion,
Yorkshire Regiment,
Died 22nd December 1918
Age 34,
Buried Cologne Southern Cemetery.

Newspaper Report:

Private Sydney Pearson, 13th Yorks. Regt., of 2 Rock Street is officially reported as missing from April 9-13th.  He is third son, late Mr. James Pearson of Well Bank, and of Mrs. Pearson, Rock Street.  There are eight sons and of these three are in the army.  Sydney who enlisted in January, 1914; Tom, Who had been Scoutmaster in the Haslingden Congregational Boy Scouts, and who enlisted just about the same time as Sydney, though he was then only 17, and is now acting Sergeant Major in a Chinese Labour Battalion in France; and Trevor, (R.E.). Sydney, when war broke out had completed his term in the Haslingden Volunteers, with which he served in the Cyclists Section, and distinguished himself as a good shot.  He was in the warehouse at L. Whittakers, Springvale Mill, and like the rest of the family connected with Haslingden Congregational Sunday School and Chapel.
He joined the Army Veterinary Corps, and was in France 48 hours later. He remained in the veterinary Corps 12 months, then went into the Guards, later into the Military Mounted Police, and finally into the 13th Yorks.
He was over at Haslingden last, November, when he had been in the trenches three or four months.  He is a highly popular young man.
Prior to the arrival of the official notice there had come behind from the C.E. chaplain a letter saying that Pte. Sydney Pearson is probably a prisoner.  In some severe fighting some men fought with tremendous courage.  Some of them fought on until they were surrounded, and the opinion seems to be that Pte. Pearson was among these.