Great War casualty 1914-1915 Star awarded to Private F.G. Mason, 10th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment who saw service on the Western Front from 26th December 1915 and who was killed in action on 19th August 1916. Having no known grave he is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
1914-1915 Star; (23820 PTE. F.G. MASON. GLOUC. R.)
Condition: Good Very Fine
Frederick George ‘Dick’ Mason was born in Cheltenham, the son of Richard and Rosetta Mason of 24 Albert Street, St. Peter’s, Cheltenham. Prior to the Great War he was employed as a messenger boy at the offices of ‘The Echo’ and he would enlist in the Gloucestershire Regiment in Cheltenham during May 1915. He would then be posted to the 10th (Service) Battalion, he was drafted to France on the 26th December 1915 and took part in the British offensive on the Somme which commenced in July of 1916. On the 17th-18th August, the Gloucesters co-operated with the 1st Royal Highlanders in an attack on the enemy front line near Martinpuich, but did not reach their objectives, losing over 60 men killed and wounded. The following day a similar attack was made, this time with the 8th Royal Berkshire Regiment which also failed. The Battalion War Diary reports that 2 officers and 20 men were killed and 50 wounded (see 2nd Lieutenant G. Layng, also from Cheltenham).
Amongst the casualties was Private Mason who has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He had two brothers, Harold and Joseph who also killed in the war.
