Louis Reginald Pearce was born on 28 May 1891 at 11 East End Road, Wotton Gloucester and was the only child of John William and Edith Pearce who were both born respectively at Brimscombe and Eastcombe.
By 1901 the family were living at the Knapp Bourne Brimscombe. John 41 was recorded as being a wood worker and Edith aged 40 was recorded as being a cloth packer.
The 1911 Census shows that Louis had left home and was living in lodgings at Bedminster in Bristol where he was working as an upholsterer. His parents continued living at the Knapp.
In October 1915 Louis married 23-year-old Beatrice Penney in Kidderminster. Beatrice was one of seven children. The 1911 Census shows all the adults in the Penney family being involved in carpet manufacturing including Beatrice who was a carpet picker.
A service record survives for Louis at the National Archives (AIR79/703/77347) and there is an entry in the Register of Soldier’s Effects.
Louis attested for military service on 10 November 1915 at Worcester and joined the Territorial Force Queen’s Own Worcestershire Hussars (Worcestershire Yeomanry).
He gave his address as Upland Cottage Chalford Hill near Stroud. He had no previous military service. His next of kin was his wife Beatrice, who lived at 32 Leswell Lane, Kidderminster.
Louis served in the UK from 10 November 1915 to 10 December 1916 and then in Egypt from 11 December 1916 to until 9 December 1917. During his time there (on 18 February 1917) he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and became an Air Mechanic Second Class (number 77347).
The information I have sourced with regard to Louis’ service and death is from the IWM Lives of the First World War (which contains a small photo) and from a report in the Stroud News.
Louis died at the Royal Victoria Hospital Netley near Southampton on 5 February 1918 from a brain at the age of 26 years.
Louis is buried in a family grave at Chalford Tabernacle.
An obituary in the Kidderminster Shuttle of 16 February 1918 stated that:
“Louis had enlisted in November 1915 and was drafted to Egypt in December 1916 with the Worcestershire Yeomanry.
Later he transferred to the RFC stationed at Alexandria, Egypt. In May of last year, he contracted a serious illness which necessitated several operations.
He was brought back to England in December and taken to hospital in Southampton, where his wife and relatives were able to visit him. Despite all medical skill and every care and attention, he passed away on February 5th.”
The following report appeared in the Stroud News of 15 February 1918:
The death of Pte Reginald Pearce, who was buried at Chalford on Saturday, makes the fourth death of the young men whose names are upon the “roll of honour” at Brimscombe Wesleyan Church and Sunday School. He contracted disease whilst with the Forces in Egypt and invalided home. Mr J Scarsbrook (superintendent) and Mr F J Cook attended the funeral as representatives of the Sunday School. The former spoke to the School on Sunday of the loss they had sustained by his death and in loving tribute to his memory was passed by all the scholars attending in silence.
Louis’ widow, Beatrice received a war gratuity payment in December 1919.
It would appear that she remarried in 1925, marrying Charles W Rogers in her home town of Kidderminster. She died in 1962.
Research by Helen Wollington (with additional information from Graham Adams) 19 February 2018