PEARSON, Sidney William
| Service Number: | 5425 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 November 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 20th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Armidale, New South Wales, Australia, 11 November 1897 |
| Home Town: | Glen Innes, Glen Innes Severn, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Porter |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, France, 7 May 1917, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
Grevillers British Cemetery IV B 9 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Glen Innes & District Soldiers Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5425, 20th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5425, 20th Infantry Battalion, Embarked at Sydney on HMAT "Wiltshire" and went to England. | |
| 2 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5425, 20th Infantry Battalion, Gunshot wounds to abdomen, face and arms. Admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance and the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. He died there of his wounds on 7th May 1917. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of William and Sarah SHAW
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Sydney William PEARSON (Service Number 5425) was born on 11th November 1897 at Armidale. He first worked for the NSW Government Railways as a temporary junior porter in the Traffic Branch in the Murrurundi District from 26th July 1915. On 5th September, his position was made permanent.
Pearson was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces on 1st November 1915 and enlisted at Armidale the same day. He gave his age as 18 years and 5 months, though he was really still a few days short of his 18th birthday. He was unmarried and gave his mother, Sarah Shaw, of Glen Innes as his next of kin. He also claimed about four years’ service in the Senior Cadets and stated that he was currently a member of the 13th Infantry Regiment.
He was allotted to the 14th Reinforcements to the 20th Battalion. He embarked HMAT ‘Wiltshire’ at Sydney on 22 August 1916, reaching Plymouth on 13th October. After such a long training period in Australia, his time in England was brief and he proceeded through Folkestone to France on 13th December. He joined his Battalion on 17th December. Little more than two weeks later he was admitted to the 5th Australian Field Ambulance and then the 1st Stationary Hospital at Rouen with venereal disease and then transferred to the 51st General Hospital at Etaples.
It was late March before he was fit to re-join the Battalion.
On 2nd May 1917 he was wounded with gunshot to his abdomen, face and arm. He was admitted to the 6th Australian Field Ambulance and the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, where he died on 7th May 1917.
Pearson was buried at Grevillers British Cemetery, East of Grevillers, France.
The military authorities enquired of the next of kin as to living relatives, most notably a father, who would be the first in line to receive medals and other mementoes. Sarah Shaw replied:
‘In reply to yours of the 12th March re: [Pearson] – I am his mother. His father is dead years ago – and I was married again to Thomas Shaw who died about 9 years ago leaving me again a widow with three children that I am now striving my best to bring up if there is any further communications please note this change of address as above.’
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.