PEARSON, Clifford

Clifford Pearson was the son of Mrs Louisa Pearson of 14 Brook Street, Lye, and attended Wollescote school. He enlisted in the Worcesters and joined the 4th Battalion, probably in 1917. This battalion had fought at Arras and Cambrai in 1917 and was in the front line for the second German Spring offensive of April 1918 on the river Lys. In the 'backs to the wall' struggle they endured a long and bitter withdrawal but Ypres was eventually saved. The Worcesters remained in the area for the final battle of Ypres. They moved to the Menin Road on the 17th September in preparation for the general Allied attack of the 28-29th September. However, probably in the shelling duel that preceded the attack, Private Clifford Pearson was killed on the 23rd September 1918. He was 24 years of age and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot, Lye and Wollescote, Lye church and Wollescote school Memorials.