Gunner William Pearce, 956450, A Battery, 78th Brigade Royal Field Artillery (Signalling Training Centre), was serving with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine following the 1918 Armistice when he died from pneumonia in the 42nd Stationary Hospital in Germany on May 19th, 1919.

Two days before his death, a telegram was sent to his unidentified parents* to inform them that their only son was seriously ill, but a permit to visit him could not be granted. His father wired for more information but received a reply stating that there was no change in their son's condition. However, in the meantime, a letter was received from a chaplain to say that William has passed away.

Gunner Pearce joined up in April 1916 and was drafted to France in August. He was moved to Dublin suffering from poisoned legs in 1917 and was in Ireland and England until July 1918, when he was again sent to France.

A letter from his Commanding Officer said William had been given a full military funeral with all of his Company following. He was buried in a little British cemetery at Euskirchen in Germany.

*Military records give William's father's name as Wortham Pearce. A men of that name was living with his wife Jane in Cambridgeshire in 1911, and in 1901 the couple had a ten-year-old only son named William living there.

The Tuesday Telegraph recorded that before joining up William was in business at the corner of Leagrave Road and Norman Road, Luton. His address recorded on Luton's 1919 absent voters register is 46 Beech Road, Luton, the same as on the Luton Roll of Honour.