Harelaw Cemetery
551896 Private
S. Pearson
Labour Corps
24th August 1918 Age 21
Alison Emmerson has provided the following:
Samuel Pearson 1897-1918
He was the son of Thomas Cowan Pearson and his wife Isabella of 8 Beverley Terrace, Catchgate, Annfield Plain.
He was a 574 Private Agricultural Company Labour Corps.
He died 24 August 1918 at Denchworth, Berks, England when he was accidentally crushed and instantly killed by the wheel of the water cart drawn by two horses on which he was riding. He was buried in Harelaw Cemetery with a CWGC headstone.
The name of his nephew Lesley Pearson appears above his on the Annfield Plain memorial.
Soldiers Died in the Great War says that he lived in Annfield Plain and was formerly with 68th D.L.I.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Samuel Pearson was born 1896 in Whitehaven, Cumberland, one of 6 children of whom only 3 survived, 2 boys and a girl. His father was an Irish man, Thomas Cowan Pearson 1870 from County Down. His family crossed to England settling in Cumberland where he met his future wife Isabella of Cleator, Cumberland, born 1871. All of their children were born in Whitehaven but they moved to the north east between 1901 and 1911, living at Catchgate, Annfield Plain where Thomas was employed as a coal miner.
Samuel Pearson enlisted in Stanley and was attested in West Hartlepool, October 25th 1915, stating he was 19 years and 6 months old, a miner-stoneman, living at 3 Philipson’s Buildings, Annfield Plain. Assigned as Private 68 Durham Light Infantry 22nd Service Battalion he joined the battalion in Catterick March 9th 1916. As part of the British Expeditionary Force attached to the 19th Division they crossed to France, June 16th 1916, July 2nd they transferred to the 8th Division as Pioneers. The 22nd fought extensively on the Western Front at the Somme 1916, Arras 1917 and Third Battle of Ypres. It was here on the Ypres salient that Samuel was hit by shrapnel from a shell, September 16th 1918. Wounded on the face and neck he was taken to the General Hospital at Abbeville in France, where he arrived two days later. Abbeville was not only a hospital centre but also a rail head, from here he was sent back to England for care and recuperation, September 25th 1917.
Due to the severity of his wounds Samuel lost his left eye, he was no longer considered suitable for front line duty and once fit enough was transferred to the Army Ordinance Corp in Woolwich as Private 551896. On January 6th 1918 he was again transferred to the Labour Corp and posted to No. 646 Agricultural Company. He was taken over by the Oxford Steam Ploughing Co. Ltd., left the depot and transferred to No. 574 Agricultural Company, May 18th 1918.
At about 6.30 p.m., Friday August 24th 1918, he and another man, a civilian, were told to fetch water from a nearby brook at Sheep Ley Meadow on Manor Farm. There was a water barrel harnessed to a cart pulled by two horses with Samuel riding side saddle. To hurry the horses on up an incline he was slapping the horse on the rump to gee him on. The front horse suddenly veered to the right taking Samuel by surprise, he fell off onto the ground and the nearside wheel went over his head killing him instantaneously. The Coroner after a short review of the evidence declared a finding of Accidental Death.
Personal items consisting of letters, photos and cards were returned to his father at 8 Beverley Terrace, Annfield Plain, all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Private 551896 Samuel Pearson Labour Corp is interred at Stanley Harelaw Cemetery, grave 8. C. 74, he was 21 years old and single.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Samuel Pearson is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04 and at Annfield Plain on A38.01
