George Burton Pearen

Stenographer, Toronto Police Force | Sapper, 5th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops

George Burton Pearen was born in Brampton, Ontario on June 4th, 1897. Resettling in Toronto, Pearen was hired as a Stenographer for the Toronto Police Force in April 1915, two months shy of his 18th birthday. The single young man worked out of No. 1 Police Station (Court St) and lived at 39 Boswell Avenue.

After about a years service, Pearen decided to put his career on hold and “do his bit” in the war.

On June 30th 1916, Stenographer Pearen enlisted in Toronto’s 69th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery. Pearen transferred to the 5th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops. This unit was employed with running and maintaining rail lines from support areas to front line trenches, in order to ferry troops and supplies where they were needed. Though the railway troops were frequent targets of enemy artillery and aerial attacks, Pearen survived the war.

By April 1919, some five months after the war ended, Pearen was stationed in Liverpool, England, awaiting his return home to Canada. On Sunday, April 19th 1919, while visiting the Liverpool Public Museum, Pearen fell down an elevator shaft and suffered severe internal injuries. He was evacuated to Northern Hospital Liverpool, where he died of his injuries. His death was deemed accidental.

Police Stenographer George Burton Pearen lies buried at Kirkdale Cemetery in Liverpool, England.

Research Sources:

  • H. Grasett – Annual Report of the Chief Constable of the City of Toronto for the Year 1914, Page 68. Toronto: The Carswell Co Ltd City Printers, 1915.
  • Library and Archives Canada. Service File of No. 339954 George Burton Pearen.
  • Library and Archives Canada. Circumstances of Death Registers Card – No. 339954 George Burton Pearen.
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Casualty Details for No. 339954 George Burton Pearen.
  • The Globe [Toronto] (1919,May 2nd), Page 8. “Died”.
  • The Globe [Toronto] (1921, January 22nd), Page 21. “Inscribe Names on Honor Roll”.
  • Toronto Police Military Veterans Association – MVA22 Tour of Remembrance Photos (Photo).