Frederick William Pearson

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, Frederick died on 14th of February 1945 aged 20. 

Frederick was born on 9 March 1924, his birth was registered in the Mutford district. He was a son of Frederick James and Jessie Frances Pearson. In 1939 his family lived at Elm Farm, Jay Lane, Lound, and Frederick was a carpenter’s apprentice.  

Frederick married Eileen Joan Reynolds in 1943, this was registered in the Bromley district. 

Frederick served in north-west Europe with the 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry. Frederick’s battalion were involved in Operation Veritable, the advance through the Reichswald Forest, that began on 8 February 1945. On 14 February his unit were progressing south of the Cleve-Calcar axis with Moyland Castle as a divisional objective. The fighting in this area was particularly difficult. The forest made the use of armoured support impossible at times and the men often had to engage in hand-to-hand fighting. Generally, men were buried where they fell. Frederick was killed in action on 14 February and was buried at Bedburg, Germany. In 1947 he was reburied at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.