John William PEARCE

Regimental number25/349
Date of birth12 March 1883
Place of birthChristchurch
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationCarpenter
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation32
Height5' 6.5"
Weight142 lbs
Next of kinFather, Thomas Pearce, 39 Spencer Street, Addington, Christchurch
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date11 October 1915
Place of enlistmentTrentham
Rank on embarkationRifleman
Enlistment statusVolunteer
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 3rd Battalion, C Company
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on 5 February 1916
The 3rd Battalion, C Company, New Zealand Rifle Brigade left New Zealand on board three ships: HMNZT 42 ('Ulimaroa'), HMNZT 43 ('Mokoia') and HMNZT 44 ('Navua'). It is not possible from the Nominal Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked.
Final rankRifleman
Final unit3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
FateKilled in Action 12 October 1917
Age at death from cemetery records33
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsTyne Cot Memorial (New Zealand Apse, Panel No 7), Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Thomas and Sarah Pearce, 123 Main Road, Wadestown, Wellington
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Wellington, 5 February 1916; disembarked Suez, 13 March 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, France, 7 April 1916.

Admitted to No 3 NZ Field Ambulance, 16 May 1916; discharged to unit, 16 May 1916.

Attached to 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company, 19 August 1916.

Attached to NZ Tunnelling Corps, 2 December 1916; rejoined unit, 22 April 1917.

Detached to 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company, 4 May 1917.

Attaxhed to No 3 Field Company, NZ Engineers, 18 May 1917; rejoined unit, 28 June 1917.

On leave to United Kingdom, 31 July 1917; rejoined unit from leave, 13 August 1917.

Killed in action, 12 October 1917.

War service: 2 years 2 days (of which 1 year 250 days was abroad)

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNominal Roll Vol. 2: Roll 24, p. 12
Archives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805, File 20799923