WILFRID HOWARD MASON

TOM

Born: 3rd April 1884, at Lonsdale House, Belstead Road, Ipswich.

Baptised on the 11^th May 1884, at St. Peter’s Church, Ipswich – family home at Lonsdale House, Belstead Road, Stoke, Ipswich.

Died: 9th March 1917; age 34; KiA at the crossing of the Dialah River, in Mesopotamia.

Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury – Friday, 23^rd March 1917 – LIEUTENANT WILFRID H. MASON – Second Lieutenant Wilfrid Howard Mason (Tom), of the Royal Engineers, was the seventh son of the late Mr. George Calver Mason, of Broadwater, Ipswich, and Mrs. Letitia Mason, who died on the 10^th March, the day following that on which her son fell.

Residence: ‘Choisy’ Probus, Cornwall.

Occupation: After qualifying as a Mining Engineer, he was for some years in Egypt, India, South Africa and Mauritius.

Returned home at the outbreak of war and joined the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps, 18835. Out of which he obtained his commission in the Royal Engineers, in June 1915.

Rank: Second Lieutenant; Service Number: 3673

Regiment: Royal Engineers, 72nd Field Coy.

Medals Awarded: Victory & British War.

Grave Reference:

XX.G.13.

Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery,

Iraq.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of George Calver & Letitia Maria Mason, of Ipswich; Husband of Gladys Mason of ‘Choisy’ Probus, Cornwall.

Brother to KENNETH RALPH MASON

CENSUS

1891   Lonsdale House, Belstead Road, Ipswich.

Wilfrid was 7 years old and living with parents & siblings.

George Calver Mason, 48, a Seed Crusher (oil cake merchant) & Paper Manufacturer – employer, born Ipswich.

Letitia Maria Mason (nee Williams), 46, born London.

Catherine May Grace Mason, 22, Mother’s Help, born Ipswich.

George Godson Mason, 21, a Merchant’s Clerk – Coals, born Ipswich.

Harold Percy Mason, 19, a Student of Law, born Ipswich.

Mabel Constance Mason, 17, born Ipswich.

Oswald Hugh Mason, 13, born Ipswich.

Malcolm Forty Mason, 11, born Ipswich.

Theodore Septimus Mason, 9, born Ipswich.

Kenneth Ralph Mason, 2, born Ipswich.

1 governess

1 cook

1 nurse &

2 housemaids.

1901   Ipswich School, Henley Road, Ipswich.

Wilfrid was 16 years old, a Student.

Wilfrid’s father, George Calver Mason, died suddenly on Wednesday, 30^th August 1905, at his residence, Broadwater, Belstead Road, Ipswich.

Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury – Friday, 1^st September 1905 – SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. GEORGE CALVER MASON – By the death of Mr. George Calver Mason, which occurred suddenly early on Wednesday morning at his residence, Broadwater, Belstead Road, Ipswich, the town has lost a most worthy citizen. Mr. George Mason was in his 64^th year, and had not been in the best of health for a long time. On the advice of Dr. Wood, he recently consulted a London physician, who, after a thorough examination, did not consider it necessary for Mr. Mason to give up his public duties; however, he considered great care was necessary. A few days back the deceased gentleman was seized with pains, which so alarmed him that he decided to remain indoors, but none of his family expected that death, which was due to angina pectoris, was so near.

Mr. George Calver Mason was one of three sons of the late Mr. George Mason, who had a large commercial interest in the town. Mason’s oil mills, paper works, and timber and cement works were big concerns, and remain so to the present day. The subject of this notice, with Mr. Herbert W. Mason, of Sproughton, took over the interest in the oil mills, and in the paper works, both of which were Limited Companies, and became the senior member in both enterprises, whilst the other brother, Mr. F. W. Mason, who now resides at Felixstowe, became proprietor of the timber yard, and cement works.

Although Mr. Mason never aspired to municipal honours, his name was prominently before the Ipswich public as a member of the Ipswich Dock Commission and Chairman of its Committee of Management. He was first elected to the Commission in September, 1875, and on retirement of his father, in 1889, from the position of Chairman of the Management Committee, he was elected to the vacancy, and helped materially to carry on the steady work of progress which the Commission has constantly in hand of making new channels, straightening the river, providing additional dock accommodation, etc. He was keenly alive to the necessities of continuing such work in order to cope with the larger vessels that now come to the port, and he had a knowledge of what was needed in this direction such as no other individual member possessed. As a member and one of the original signatories to the articles of association for the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, he also accomplished good work, and in 1887 he succeeded the late Mr. John Jefferies as chairman; it is interesting to note that in that capacity he attended the Jubilee service at Westminster Abbey. Mr. George Mason too, was a member of the Ipswich Municipal Charities, and he also found time to take a large interest in the affairs of St. Mary Stoke parish. He was a foundation manager of the Voluntary Schools, and churchwarden. His worth as a public man was duly recognised about a year ago, when he was made Justice of the Peace, and he had several times since attended the sittings of the Magistrates. Although never an active politician, he was for one year President of the Bridge Ward Conservative Club, taking the position on the clear understanding that he should not be called upon to do active party work. Mr. George Mason was extremely successful as an amateur photographer, and was first President of the Ipswich Camera Club, which was established last year. He had interested himself in some of the more advanced and complicated processes of pictorial production, including colour printing, and many beautiful specimens of his work adorn the walls of his house. At the time of the Club’s first exhibition last November, Mr. Mason was absent on a visit to Ceylon, and on his return he vacated the presidency in favour of Dr. Francis Ward.

As showing the suddenness with which Mr. Mason succumbed it may be mentioned that he attended divine service at St. Mary Stoke Church last Sunday morning, and set out from his residence in the evening with the intention of again going to church, but he had one of those attacks of which he was subjected, which compelled him to return and call in medical aid. He improved, but another attack occurred late on Tuesday night, and life was fast ebbing away when Dr. Wood arrived. The deceased married at Tunbridge Wells about 38 years ago; his wife, eight sons, and two daughters are left to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and father. Besides his two brothers now living, the deceased has two sisters, Mrs. Stagg, of Weybread, and Miss Mason, who is engaged in missionary work in India.

Wilfrid’s mother, Leticia Maria Mason, died on the 10^th March 1917, her residence Trerose, Felixstowe, Suffolk.

Wilfrid was educated at Ipswich School – entered 1896 and left 1902. He obtained his Football Colours, proving a sterling back during more than one season. Afterwards proceeded to the Mining School at Cranborne.

On the 10th December 1912, at St. Andrew’s Church, Quatre Bornes, Mauritius, Wilfrid married Gladys Teague, born 1882, Trevenson, Carn Brea, Cornwall – fourth daughter of William Teague, a mining engineer, and Mary Ann Teague (nee Carpenter), of The Cottage, Probus, Cornwall.

Gladys and Wilfrid had one son:

Dennis Howard Mason, born February 1916, Bracknell, Berkshire, and baptised on the 6^th March 1916, at St. Hilary’s Church, Eglwys Rhos, Caernarvonshire, Wales – family home at 15, Marine Crescent, Deganwy. Wilfrid was a Second Lieutenant with H.M. Forces.

Soldiers’ Effects to Harold Percy Mason Esq. & Oswald Hugh Mason Esq. – brothers.

Probate to Harold Percy Mason, a solicitor & Oswald Hugh Mason, a gentleman – brothers.

Wilfrid is also remembered on the Chapel war memorial at Ipswich School, at Felixstowe, Suffolk, and the Cranborne Mining School memorial, St. Martin & St. Meriodoc Church, Cornwall, and on his parents’ headstone at St. Mary’s Church, Belstead, Suffolk.

Wilfrid’s paternal grandfather, George Mason

was Mayor of Ipswich 1875 – 1876.

(1930 image of the North Lancashire Regiment memorial at Dialah)

Suffolk and Essex Free Press – Wednesday, 18^th April 1917 – SECOND LIEUT. W. H. MASON – Second Lieutenant Wilfrid Howard Mason, R.E., who was killed on the 9^th March, aged 32, was the eighth son of the late G. Calver and Mrs. Mason, of Broadwater, Ipswich. He was educated at Ipswich School and at the Mining School, Camborne, and after qualifying as a mining engineer, was some years in Egypt, India, South Africa, and Mauritius. At the outbreak of war he came home and joined the Inns of Court O.T.C., from which he obtained his commission in the Royal Engineers, in June 1915. In 1912, he married Gladys, the fourth daughter of the late Captain W. Teague, of Trevenson, Carn Brea, Cornwall, who with a son survives him.

Fellow Ipswich man lost in the action: CLAUDE DAWSON HEMPSON

The River Dialah, a tributary of the Tigris. Armed with artillery and well dug in, the Turks held a formidable defensive position. On 7th March 1917 the 6th Battalion KORLR seized Dialah village on the left bank of the river, but received Turkish fire from the left bank. In an attempt to cross the river, the Battalion launched pontoons, but were driven back. The operation cost 40 casualties. A battalion of the North Lancashire Regiment completed the crossing early on the 10th March.
The 13th Division of the British Army was now able to advance on Baghdad.

Captain O.A.Reid, 6th Loyal North Lancs and Pte Jack White, 6th King’s Own received the Victoria Cross for the action.

Royal Engineers, 72nd Field Coy