William Pearce – Royal Defence Corps, 331st Protection Company
Private William Pearce – Royal Defence Corps, 331st Protection Company
Birth and Family
William Pearce was born in 1896 at Newmilns, Ayrshire, the son of Edwin Pearce and Frances Alice Pressdee, who were married in 1895.The 1901
Scottish Census records the Pearce family living at Northfield Avenue,
Milton. Edwin Pearce, aged 42 and born in England, was
serving as a Sergeant Major in the Volunteers, while his wife Frances
Alice, aged 33 and born in Wales, managed the household.
Their children were William (5), Violet May (2), and Frederick
Jan P. (1).
1911 Census
By the time
of the 1911 Census, Frances had been widowed and had
returned to live at 25 Victoria Avenue, Mumbles. Aged 43, she was
working as a boarding house keeper. Her children were William (15),
employed as a telegraph messenger, Violet (12), and Frederick
(11), both of whom were attending school.
Also
present in the household were several boarders: Margaret Phillips, a 57-year-old
widow of private means; Frederick Turberville (31), a gardener;
and Edward Bennett (26), a grocer’s assistant.
Military Service
William originally enlisted with the Welsh Regiment, before later transferring to the Royal Defence Corps. The Royal Defence Corps was formed in August 1917 to carry out home defence and protection duties within the United Kingdom, and was largely composed of men who were no longer fit for active service overseas but were still capable of military work.William
served as a Private with the 331st Protection Company,
one of the units responsible for guarding strategically important sites
such as railways, docks, bridges, factories, military depots, and hospitals.
Duties typically included armed sentry work, patrols, and night guards,
often carried out under demanding conditions. Although this service was away
from the front line, it was essential to the war effort and not without risk,
particularly from air raids, illness, and accidents.
Death and Burial
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| Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects |
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| William Pearce St Mary’s Church Cemetery, Tenby credit - findagrave |
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