John was born in Liverpool, son of Charles Child and Ada Mavis Pearson. His family worked in the import trade when John joined the army. He married Maud Wren Rowland in January 1939 with whom he had a son, Michael.

John Harold Child Pearson arrived in Normandy in 1944. He was appointed at the head of the 5th battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment as a Lieutenant Colonel.

He first distinguished himself on the 23rd of July 1944 as his battalion was taking part in an attack. Their advance was stopped by German fire which immobilised Pearson’s men. He encouraged them to keep on and pursuit their advance, exposing himself to enemy fire. Galvanised by this action, he and his men managed to reach their objective. He received the “Distinguished Service Order”, a prestigious decoration of the British army for this action.

However, he was killed during an equally courageous action on the 6th of August 1944. As his battalion took part in the Mont-Pinçon battle capturing a bridge, a German machine gun prevented Pearson’s men going any further and cross the bridge. To give new impetus, he fixed a rose to his uniform and went ahead under enemy fire. He was mortally wounded as he reached the other side of the bridge. His men managed to cross the bridge by the end of the day.

He now rests in St Désir War Cemetery.