Rededication ceremony for Corporal Herbert Pearce, Worcestershire Regiment at Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Belgium

The service of Cpl Pearce led by Rev Andy Nicolls, CF, is attended by members of the Mercian Regiment and representatives on behalf of the British Embassy. (Crown copyright)

The rededication ceremony for Corporal Herbert Pearce, Worcestershire Regiment took place at Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Belgium on 18 October 2022.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’. It was conducted by The Reverend Andy Nicolls, CF. Cpl Pearce was previously commemorated on the CWGC Tyne Cot Memorial.

Cpl Pearce's rededication was one of six happening around Ypres, Belgium over the 18 and 19 October for soldiers lost in World War One with each ceremony attended by representatives from the current day equivalents of these casualties’ regiments (Royal Fusiliers, the Mercian Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps and the Royal Regiment of Scotland).

Louise Dorr, MOD JCCC case worker said:
“Our thanks go to several of our regular researchers, who have investigated these six graves and been able to prove who is buried in each of them. Thanks to their efforts we have been able to confirm their findings and return these soldiers’ names to them. I’m so honoured to have been able to be here to rededicate their final resting places.”

Cpl Pearce's headstone was replaced by the CWGC as part of the rededication. 

Director for the Central and Southern European Area at the CWGC, Geert Bekaert, said: 
“We are privileged to be able to honour these six brave men, who all paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting in the Great War. Thanks to the research and work of many, we are able to renew our commitment to care for these soldiers’ graves, in perpetuity” 

Corporal Herbert Pearce

Herbert Pearce was born in Kent in 1892 to Richard and Eliza (nee Wynn) Pearce. He had nine siblings; George, Grace, Archibald, Ernest, Lily, Edith, Leonard, Reginald and Doris. Some of them married and had children, but it has not been possible to contact them.

The remains of Cpl Pearce were originally recovered from a location north-east of Harelbeke and Stasegem; they were buried as “UK Brit Cpl – Worcester R”. The recovery location was behind German lines after the initial German advance (August to October 1914) until the allies crossed the Lys in October/November 1918. The war diary of the 4th battalion Worcestershire Regiment places the battalion near the recovery location when Cpl Pearce was killed on 20 October 1918.