Selected Biographies

Mason, Mrs Florence Annie [née Nott] – Born: Pebmarsh, Essex in 1871.  Parents: George Nott (Farmer) and Lavinia [née Groom].  Home: Thorpe House, Hall Street, Long Melford [1917] to [1946].  Married: Richard Walter Mason [Retired Farmer] in 1910.  Service Record: Mrs Mason was a volunteer with the British Red Cross Society and a member of the Red Cross Working Party in Long Melford from January 1917 to October 1918.[1]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 16.9.1946.[2]

Mason, Sidney William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 1.1.1883.[3]  Parents: William Mason (Horsekeeper, later Carman) and Rose [née Beeton].  Family Connections: Brother to William John Mason [b1884].  Home: 4 Anne Place, Bethnal Green, London (1891), Waterloo Terrace, Bethnal Green (1901).  Occupation: Carman (1901), Soldier [1902 to c1918].  Service Record: Sidney enlisted in 1902 as Pte.3971 with 5^th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers deserted one month later.  He quickly re-joined his unit to be tried by District Court Martial in May 1902 and sentenced to 28 days imprisonment. He received his discharge in 1906.  On 5.8.1914, the day following the Declaration of War on Germany, he as Pte.10133 4^th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers [City of London] Regiment.  He was posted to France from 26.8.1914 as part of 9^th Brigade, 3^rd Division, seeing action at the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne in September, and La Bassée, Messines and the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914.  On 26.11.1914 he was transferred in the field to 6^th Battalion, returning to 4^th Battalion on 6.3.1915 for six-month period on or near the front line, punctuated with moments of extreme danger.  His unit was to take part in First Attack on Bellewaarde on16 June, the Actions of Hooge on 19 July, and the Second Attack on Bellewaarde on 25 September, this final action supporting the opening phase in the Battle of Loos.[4]  The pressure may have proved too much for Sidney as on the following day he was arrested for self-wounding, resulting in him being tried by Field General Court Martial for ‘Neglect to the prejudice of good order and Military Discipline’ and sentenced to 60 days Field Punishment N^o.1.  On 5.1.1916 Mason was received his discharge having served thirteen years with the Colours.  He was not out of uniform for long, serving first as Pte.8461 and later as Pte.574921 with the London Regiment, thereafter, transferring as Spr.WR/332727 to the Waterways and Railways section of the Royal Engineers.[5]  Died: Bethnal Green, London in 1934.

Mason, William John – Born: Bethnal Green, London on 14.3.1884.[6]  Parents: William Mason (Horsekeeper, later Carman) and Rose [née Beeton].  Family Connections: Brother to Sidney William Mason of Long Melford [b1883].  Home: 4 Anne Place, Bethnal Green, London (1891), Waterloo Terrace, Bethnal Green (1901), Victoria Home Lodging House, 177 Whitechapel Road, Aldgate, London (1911).  Occupation: Carman (1901 and 1911).  Service Record: William enlisted in 1901 as Pte.5273 with 5^th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, re-enlisting in 1902 as Gnr.22285 of the Royal Field Artillery and being discharged in July 1913.  It is not known if he served during the First World War as no definitive record has been found.[7]

Related Biographies

Hempstead, George Wilfred – Born: Sudbury, Suffolk on 5.11.1891.[8]  Parents: Harry Hempstead (Gardener) and Florence [née Martin] (Silk Weaver).  Family Connections: Cousin of Alfred Arthur Hempstead [b1885] and brother-in-law of Herbert Ernest White [b1888] and Philip Charles Hancock [b1896]. Home: Patient in St Leonards Hospital, Sudbury, Suffolk (1901), 15 Croft Row, Sudbury (1911), Rodbridge, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: General Labourer (1911), Agricultural Labourer (1939).  Married: Ethel Lizzie Mason of Long Melford in 1918.[9]  Service Record: Recorded as a ‘Soldier’ at his marriage in January 1918, regrettably his unit is not given.  Although no definitive military record has been found, George may have attested as Pte.45628 with 9^th [Service] Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment.  If this assumption is correct then he was transferred as Pte.41892 to 6^th [Service] Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, then as Pte.579077 to 986^th Company, Labour Corps, and finally as Pte.GS/104344 to 43^rd [Garrison] Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.[10]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1965.

Notes – [1] British Red Cross Record Card. [2] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar. [3] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 4.3.1883, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [4] For details of the various actions in 1914 see 4^th Royal Fusilier’s War Diary [WO 95/1431/1]. [5] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [6] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 25.4.1884, St James the Great, Bethnal Green, London. [7] Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97] up to 1913. [8] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford. [9] For military status in 1918 see Marriage Register 16.1.1918, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford, Marriage was also announced in Suffolk and Essex Free Press 16.1.1918. [10] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].