1915-03-12ss

“Word has been received of the death of Pte. Alfred Pearson, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Pearson, who reside at 375 Ferguson Ave. North.”

Hamilton Times. March 13, 1915

It was a scene that would be repeated far too many times more, Hamilton parents receiving notification of the death of a son:

“Pte. Pearson was killed in action, on February 27, and is thought to be the first Hamiltonian who went with the First Contingent to have been killed in action.”¹

1     “First Killed : Alfred Pearson Met His Death on Feb. 27^th”                  Hamilton Times March 13, 1913.

Alf Pearson had not enlisted in Hamilton, although he was very well known  in the city. He was living in Cornwall when the war began and had enlisted with the 59^th Infantry, 1^st Brigade, 2^nd Battalion.

There had been a delay in informing the Pearsons of their son’s death:

“It was first announced that his next of kin resided at 474 James street north, however, since the son went to the front, the parents have moved to their present address on Ferguson Ave.

“The father stated this morning the reason that his address had been given as 474 James street north was because that address was sewn in his coat when he left.”¹

The parents told a Times reporter that they had received several letters from Alf., and in all he had said that he was in the best of condition.

On March 17, 1915, Private Alfred Pearson's parents received the following letter from the chaplain of his regiment :
" Dear Sir: I expect that long before you receive this letter you will have heard of the death in action of your splendid son, Alfred. As chaplain of this brigade, and the one who attended his burial, I want to extend to you the sincere sympathy of his brothers in arms. It was surely an ill fate that he should have been picked off in the very first battle in which Canadians were engaged. He was a fine, soldierly fellow and one whose sacrifice will help to restore peace and liberty in this Hun-cursed land. On the steamer across the ocean, he gave me your address and requested me to write should he get wounded or killed.This shows how the poor boy was thinking of those he loved far away.
"I have written for permission to send you the name of the place and a description of the place in the cemetery where his body was buried. He was killed on Sunday, February 23, and was buried the next afternoon, his chums having brought the body out. Four were buried together. He has a separate grave, which will be marked by a wooden cross with his name and corps marked thereon. He lies among fallen soldiers, a worthy and honourable end, though extremely sad for all his loved ones. It is the chance we all take here to free this land of the blight of the German.
"May God bless and keep you in your sorrow.
"Yours sincerely, MAJOR WILLIAM BEATTIE, C. F., First Brigade , Canadian Infantry, France.
"P.S. Your son did not suffer. His death was sudden."