Driver Reginald Pearce (35183), Royal Engineers

Reginald Pearce died on September 21st 1918 aged 21 in Great Coxwell having never recovered from an illness contracted when serving in Egypt. He was discharged from the Army 14th June 1918 and died 3 months later.

The Faringdon Advertiser of 28th September 1918 carried the following:

Great Coxwell:

Death of Driver R Pearce – Military honours were accorded the funeral of the late Driver Reginald Pearce, which took place at Great Coxwell on Tuesday afternoon. Driver Pearce was the fourth son of the late Mr H. Pearce and of Mrs Pearce, of this village. He came from Canada and joined the Royal Engineers in November 1914, and went to Egypt in 1915, where he contracted an incurable disease. He was sent back to England in January of this year, and received his discharge in May, His health gradually failed, and he passed away Saturday last. The remains were laid to rest in the village Churchyard on Tuesday afternoon. The coffin, covered with the Union Jack, was borne to the Church by a company of 22 soldiers from Chiselden Camp. At the conclusion of the service vollies (sic) were fired over the grave and the buglers sounded the “Last Post.” It was an impressive ceremony, which will long be remembered by the large number of relatives and the villagers who were present

A Reginald Pearce is shown leaving the UK aged 12 for Canada and returning aged 17 In October 1914.

His mother Agnes and father Joseph H had 8 other children:

Albert (1885), Tom (1887), Lydia (1888), Laura (1890), George (1893), Dorothy (1894), Agnes May (1896), Cyril (1900).

Reginald is commemorated on the Great Coxwell memorial and in St. Giles Church.