Pearson: Oswald Vincent
Oswald was born to George and Marion Pearson in Riverton, South Australia on 18th March 1892.
By the time he signed up, Oswald’s father had died and his mother remarried. She was then Mrs. McLean and living in Blackwood.
Oswald enlisted aged 23 years in Adelaide on 28th Oct 1915 as a reinforcement for the 3rd Light Horse, No. 2055. His height was given as 5’8” (172cm), weight 142lbs (64.5kg), hair dark and eyes brown. His occupation was listed as a Wool-classer / Clerk with Elder-Smith and his religion was Presbyterian.
On leaving for overseas service, Oswald became ill on-board ship and was disembarked at Fremantle and taken to hospital on 19th February 1916. He died there four days later of Meningitis and was buried in the Fremantle cemetery, Western Australia.
No medals were issued to acknowledge his service as he died before leaving Australia and it was not until 1933 that his mother received his Death Plaque.
Oswald Pearson’s name appears on the Blackwood War Memorial.
Research by Geoff Lock, 2015
