Name
Harry Mansfield
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/04/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
126693
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
1st Depot Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LILLE SOUTHERN CEMETERY
III. C. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
"THOU GOD SEETH ME"
UK & Other Memorials
Barley Village Memorial, St Margaret's Church Memorial, Barley
Pre War
Harry MANSFIELD was born in the early part of 1898, in Barley, Hertfordshire, son of Albert Mansfield a Builders Carman and Rebecca Mansfield, (nee Chapman). One of their ten children.
Harry was baptised on 6th February 1898, with his brother Arthur Raymond Mansfield, in the Parish of Barley, Herts.
1901 Census records Harry aged 3, living with his parents, two sisters Emily (8), Edith (6), and three brothers, William (7), Arthur (5) and Albert (1), in Smiths End, Barley, Herts.
1911 Census, Harry (13) is at school, living with his parents, four sisters and four brothers, still in Smiths End, Barley, Herts.
Wartime Service
Harry enlisted in Hitchin, Herts, (SDITGW record formerly 29948 Bedfordshire Regiment, no documents were found to confirm this. There is a note at the top of his Medal Index Card (MIC) “Previous Unit Notts & Derby Regiment Service No. 7147” no documents were found to confirm this).
Harry was serving as private 126693 with the 1st Depot Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), when he was wounded and taken a Prisoner of War (POW). He died of his wounds on 17th April 1918, aged 20, while a POW.
He is buried in Lille Southern Cemetery, Lille, France. Grave Ref; III. C. 5.
Lille was occupied by the Germans through the war until 12th October 1918.
Additional Information
His effects of £6-03s-02 pay owing and his war gratuity of £8-10s-00d, went to his father Albert.
A Pension card exists for his mother as a dependent, but no pension amount is recorded. Harry and his brother William are both recorded on the pension card.
His Headstone inscription “THOU GOD SEETH ME” was requested by his mother Rebecca Mansfield.
His older brother Lance Corporal 43020 William James Mansfield was Killed in Action on 21st March 1918.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts
