PEARSON, George T

George Turney Pearson was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Albert Pearson of Thorn Hill, Oldswinford, Stourbridge (now part of Elmfield School) and the grandson of William Turney and of George Pearson, whose families represented two of the town’s most prosperous industries – wool and clay. George Pearson was born in Stourbridge in 1892 and educated at Repton School and Worcester College, Oxford. Here he gained a BA (Hons) in modern languages. He rowed in Eights for his college and was keen on acting. After leaving Oxford he worked for the British South Africa Co. and spent some time in Rhodesia. He returned to England in July 1914 and on the outbreak of war applied for a commission. He joined the 9th (Service) Battalion of the Worcesters and was promoted Lieutenant and machine gun officer in June 1915. The battalion was composed of the first Kitchener volunteers of August 1914 and after training was sent direct to the Dardanelles in July 1915. The Suvla Bay landings of the 6th August, however, were no more successful than the original landings. The troops delayed moving off the beach, advanced up one of the main gullies in difficult terrain towards the central ridge and launched their first attack at dawn on the 9th. Three days of fighting left the Worcesters short of the summits, with heavy casualties and desperately short of water. Lieutenant George Pearson was killed in action on the 12th during an attempt to secure water at Kugu Wells. He was 23 years of age and is commemorated on the Helles, Stourbridge, Oldswinford church, Repton school and Worcester College, Oxford, Memorials. There is a special memorial to him in the chancel of Oldswinford church.