Dig for Victory
The Dig for Victory campaign was essential in producing food to keep the country fed as foreign food imports and supplies were under threat from the U-Boat offensive. While this campaign with encouraged to everyone, the Home Guard took a particular interest in this campaign and held matches and awarded trophies to both promote productivity and boost morale.
Arthur W. Pearce
Arthur Pearce (1892-1975) was a highly skilled ploughman winning over 200 awards in his lifetime, a testament to his ability. Speaking with John Norwood, 1971, Pearce highlighted the importance of caring for his horses where he start preparations at 4 am so that they were ready. Overall, Pearce highlights the significance of the Hampshire dialect. tone of voice, and a light touch in contributing to his horse ploughing successes.
Albert John Pearce (1911-1943)
The son of Arthur Pearce and Lilian May Fisher, Albert was born in Sholing, Hampshire. During the Second World War, Albert served as part of the Royal Ordnance Corps, 6 Army Field Workshop. It was during the fall of Singapore, 15th February 1941, when Private Albert John Pearce was captured and become a prisoner of war. While a prisoner, Albert is recorded as becoming sick, likely due to malaria, leading to his death on the 23rd December 1943, aged 34. Albert is buried at the Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand.
Inscription
M.S.R.C.P.M./H.G./Best/Team Ploughman/1941
