Stearns E G 2nd Lt 4th Royal Fusiliers
STEARNS, ERIC GORDON, 2nd Lieut., 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers, yr. s. of Thomas Robert Stearns, of Lansdowne, Woodridings, Hatch End, co. Middlesex, Insurance Official, by his wife, Alice, dau. of James Grant, of Ipswich and Belize; b. Hornsey, 25 March, 1895; educ. St. John’s College, and Lower School, Harrow was a Clerk in the Sun Insurance Office; joined the Artists’ Rifles (28th London Regt.) in 1912; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war; was given a commission as 2nd Lieut. 6 April, 1915, and posted to the Royal Fusiliers; went to France in Oct. 1914, and died at Abeele of wounds received in action in Belgium, while in charge of a party digging a new trench; unm. His commanding officer, Lieut.-Col. W. F. Sweny, wrote: “I have seen enough of your son to realise what a useful and cool officer he was “; Sergt. F. H. Smith: “Mr. Stearns was almost worshipped by the men under his command; they would have followed him anywhere, for they knew he was a man. He had not an atom of fear in him, and he had always a smile and a cheery word for everybody. I do not think anybody could be more liked and respected than he was and Private W. H. Leighton: “The bullet caught him just above the hip and passed upwards. We did everything we possibly could but all in vain, worse luck. He bore it extremely well, as he always did everything, being a very brave officer and one whom the men had the greatest confidence in and would have followed him anywhere.”
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1