Mason Brothers

Second Lieutenant Kenneth Ralph Mason, age 27

4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment

Died 21 June 1915

Second Lieutenant, 4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 21/06/1915. Age 27.

Son of George Calver Mason and Loetitia Maria nee Williams of Ipswich. George died in 1905 & Loeticia later moved to Trevose. Address on will is Trevose did the family buy the house from the Packards when Henry Woods Packard died in 1912? The youngest of eleven children, two girls & 9 boys. Kenneth was born on May 12, 1888, he was educated by private tuition and at Ipswich Grammar School from 1899. He was a member of the Cadet Corp and the Literary and Dramatic Society. In 1905 he attended Jesus College, Cambridge, graduating with a BA in 1913. Whilst at Cambridge, he was a member of the Footlights Comedy Club.

The 4th Battalion were at St Vaast Post when they were attacked, this is thought to be due to an Anti Aircraft Gun positioned with them. The attack lasted 1½ hours and Lt Mason and three other men were killed & three others wounded. He was killed on June 21, 1915 and buried the following morning in St Vaast Post Military Cemetery. Kenneth is remembered on the Ipswich War memorial, Felixstowe Seafront Memorial and St Peter and St Paul WW1 Memorial

St Vaast Post Military Cemetery

Medal Record

Family Tree

The Suffolk Regiment

1914-1915 Star

Extract from Suffolk Regiment War Diary

Second Lieutenant Wilfrid Howard Mason, age 34

72nd Field Company, Royal Engineers

Died 09 July 1917

Second Lieutenant, 72nd Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died 09/07/1917. Age 34.

Son of George Calver Mason and Loeticia Marie nee Williams of Ipswich. Husband of Gladys Mason nee Teague, of "Choisy," Probus, Cornwall. Brother of Kenneth above. Address on will is Trevose did the family buy the house from the Packards?

Wilfrid, born on April 3, 1884, qualified as a mining engineer having left Ipswich School. He worked in Egypt, India and Mauritius. Returning home, he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in June 1915. Wilfrid was married in 1912 to Gladys and they had one son, Dennis Howard, born in February 1916. Wifrid died the day before his mother.

Wilfrid was killed in action on March 9, 1917 aged 34, at the crossing of the Dialah River in Mesopotamia. He is buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery and he is remembered on Felixstowe Seafront Memorial and St Peter and St Paul WW1 Memorial.

Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery

Royal Engineers

Obituary

Medal Card