Driver, 662nd Heavy Transport Company Royal Army Service Corps (1st Reserve Horse Transport Depot Park Royal London)
Stanley Pearce was the son of painter, sign writer and decorator Edward Pearce and Rosetta Kate Pearce. In 1911, aged 16 Stanley lived with his family including two brothers and two sisters, in 64 Halesleigh Road, Bridgwater. He was working as his father's errand boy. Sometime before 1914 he married Floss Vickery of North Petherton. They set up home in 29 Provident Place. He worked for a time for Mr D Denman of Haygrove, before enlisting in the army. On 7 October 1914 the Bridgwater Mercury reported that Stanley had enlisted. He was in training on Salisbury Plain when the First World War was declared.
On 22 October 1915 the Bridgwater Mercury reported 'ARMY SERVICE CORPS FOOTBALL MATCH, BRIDGWATER TEAM SUCCESSFUL' mentioning Cpl Jarvis, 2nd Cpl Manchip, 2nd Cpl Hellier, 2nd Cpl Turner, Pts Hoyal, Neath, and Drivers Pearce, Ross, Hobbs, Hampson and Gillingham. Pearce was a Driver in 662nd Heavy Transport Company Royal Army Service Corps based in Park Royal London. In 1916 he was sent to Salonika, in the British and French expeditionary force to the Balkans. However, there he contracted Malaria and Dysentery. He was sent back to Britain in September 1918, arriving in London. He enjoyed one month of leave, but was admitted to hospital on 2 November, suffering from Malaria, Influenza and pneumonia. He died eight days later on 10 November 1918, the day before the war ended. He left his wife and two young children; Ada had been born in 1914 and Geoffrey had only been born that year.
To add to the tragedy his sister, Dorothy Elizabeth Jane, married to Herbert Wilkins of 32 Provident Place, died of influenza on 15 November. The two siblings were buried on the same day in a joint service in the cemetery. The officiating minister was George Beard, of the Baptist Congregation.
