The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (4107) Pte Eddie Pearce, 1st Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (4107) Pte Eddie Pearce, 1st Battalion, AIF, First World War.

4107 Pte Eddie Pearce, 1st Battalion, AIF
KIA 19 August 1916
Story delivered 11 March 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Eddie Pearce.

Eddie Pearce was born near Richmond, New South Wales, in 1891, to Edward and Elvira Pearce. His father was a farmer at Agnes Banks, and Eddie grew up in the district and became a farmer like his father.

Eddie Pearce enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in September 1915, following his brother Frank, who had enlisted some months earlier. After a period of training in Australia he left for overseas service on board the troopship Medic in late December 1915. Pearce arrived in Egypt in early 1916, joining the Australians who had recently evacuated the Gallipoli peninsula. The AIF was undergoing a period of reorganisation and training at the time, and although Pearce left Australia with reinforcements to the 4th Battalion, he was moved to the 1st Battalion at Serapeum in March 1916.

The first major action of the 1st Battalion came a few months after Private Pearce arrived on the Western Front, when it was pivotal in the successful capture of the French village of Pozières on 23 July 1916. After several days’ hard fighting, the battalion was relieved, having made one of the biggest advances through the village.

A few weeks later the battalion was again in the front line, this time to the north of Pozières, where it formed a defensive flank to protect an attack towards Mouquet Farm. Although the 1st Battalion was not taking an active part in the operation, the men came under constant heavy shell-fire while protecting the flank.

On the 19th of August 1916, the day after the operation began, Private Pearce and a mate, Private Robinson, were together in the front line when they came under another German artillery barrage. At some point during the barrage, a piece of artillery shell flew into their trench and struck Pearce in the head, killing him instantly.

Pearce’s body was buried near where he fell. It was later recovered from the battlefield, and today he lies in the Sunken Road Cemetery at Contalmaison. He was 25 years old.
Eddie Pearce’s brother Frank, and another brother, James, both served during the First World War, and returned to Australia.

Eddie Pearce’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Eddie Pearce, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section