Richard Pearse in the Army, WWI

[Dave Homewood]

I came across a reference in a list of WWI soldiers returning home from overseas service in the Auckland Star, and one of them happened to be a Richard W. Pearse of Temuka.

paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19181015.2.70&srpos=7&e=01-12-1902--12-1945--10-AS-1-byDA---0Temuka+Pearse--

So I looked up Archives New Zealand's Archway site and sure enough there is a WWI soldier named:

PEARSE, Richard William - WW1 63410 - Army

I am assuming that this is the Richard William Pearse of Temuka?

Has anyone looked into his WWI service (if it's him). Was he in any way connected with the Royal Flying Corp or RNAS, given his special interest and skills with aviation?

[flyjoe180]

He was conscripted into the army in May 1917 and was sent overseas in January 1918, but fell ill and returned to New Zealand later that year.

christchurchcitylibraries.com/kids/famousnewzealanders/richard.asp