North Russian Campaign Victoria Cross Recipient. A native of Wales, he posthumously received the award (presented to his widow) from British King George V at Buckingham Palace in London, England, on October 21, 1919, for his actions as a Sergeant in the 45th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, British Army, on August 29, 1919, near Emtsa, North Russia, during the Russian Civil War. Born in Penarth, Glamorganshire, Wales, he emigrated with his family to Australia in 1911 and settled at Mildura, Victoria. In July 1915, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force a year after the outbreak of World War I and was initially sent to Gallipoli, Turkey, seeing action for two weeks before being evacuated. He was then sent to the Western Front in Europe, saw combat action in different engagements there, was wounded twice, and was promoted to the rank of Corporal. Following the end of World War I in November 1918, he was discharged from the Australian Army and volunteered for duty with the British Army, joining the North Russian Relief Force effort. He was killed in action at the age of 22. In addition to the Victoria Cross, he also received the Military Medal, the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal (1914-20), and the Victory Medal (1914-19). His Victoria Cross citation reads: "For most conspicuous bravery, devotion to duty, and self-sacrifice during the operation against the enemy battery position north of Emtsa, North Russia, on the 29th August 1919. Sergeant Pearse cut his way through enemy barbed-wire under very heavy machine-gun and rifle fire and cleared a way for the troops to enter an enemy battery position. Seeing that a blockhouse was harassing our advance and causing us casualties, he charged the blockhouse single-handed, killing the occupants with bombs. This gallant non-commissioned officer met his death a minute later, and it was due to him that the position was carried with so few casualties. His magnificent bravery and utter disregard for personal danger won for him the admiration of all troops." His Victoria Cross and other medals are on display in the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Additionally, he is honored on the Brookwood (Russia) Memorial on Panel 3, Column 2, in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England.