Albert was the son of George Pearce and Selina Cullis. He first enlisted as a soldier at the age of 17 in 1893, with the 1st Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. After 12 years of service he moved to London where he married Eileen and had two children in 1911 and 1913, and worked for Joseph Travers & Sons Ltd, Wholesale Grocers of London.

At the outbreak of the First World War he volunteered, and although at the age of 40 was overage, as a former soldier was able to join the Special Reserve being posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment. In December 1915, he was severely injured when several rifle grenades were fired into his trench. In January 1916, Albert returned to England and was officially discharged in October 1916.

Albert died on 14 November 1916 at the Central London Ophthalmic Hospital after an unsuccessful operation to remove a piece of shrapnel in his eye.

At the time, the Commission did not record men who died after discharge so Albert was never given a Commission headstone. However, thanks to researchers who looked into the names on the Travers company war memorial he was brought to the Commission’s attention and has now been given a CWGC headstone with an inscription chosen by his family.