Gunner Walter Gaudin Mason
120th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
08/05/1917
NEWS ITEM in Jersey
Evening Post of Friday 11 May 1917
Roll of Honour.
The
large circle of friends which PC W G Mason made whilst he was serving with the
St Helier Paid Police will regret to hear that he has made the supreme sacrifice
somewhere in France. The late Police Constable entered the Force in 1909 and being
of a cheerful and kindly disposition was held in the highest regard by all he
had come into contact with. During 1915, although over 30 and married, he considered
he would be serving his Country better at the Front and he enlisted in the Royal
Garrison Artillery. He proceeded with 120th Siege Battery to the Front and letters
had been received from him as late as yesterday, these stating that he was in
the best of health and looking forward to finer weather, the winter having been
very trying.
Today Mr G Le Masurier, the Constable's Secretary,
received a letter from Major K F Angus, officer commanding the Battery, stating
that he regretted to state that Gunner Mason was killed on the morning of 7 May
whilst at the Battery, and in accordance with the request found in the deceased's
pocketbook, Mr Le Masurier was asked to communicate with Mrs Mason. After expressing
his personal sympathy with the widow, to whom he is writing, the Major concludes
"Mason was a singularly fine upright man, always showing the same cheery
disposition in all circumstances, a man whom it did me good to have serving with
me, and all of us will feel his loss keenly. He suffered no pain whatever, death
being absolutely instantaneous. We are burying him this evening in a small cemetery
here." We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the widow and other members
of the family in their sorrow.
