Name
George Mascall
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/02/1919
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266235
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HIGH WYCH (ST. JAMES THE GREAT) CHURCHYARD
II. H. 11.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Sawbridgeworth Town Memorial, Great St Mary’s Church Memorial, Sawbridgeworth, High Wych Village Memorial, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
George was the son of Mr. Thomas Mascall, of Hand Terrace, High Wych, born in 1893, but by 1911 the family had moved to 53 West Road, Sawbridgeworth.
In the 1911 census, George was recorded as a ‘Gardener’.
Although we have yet to find out when they married, George had a wife named Annie.
Wartime Service
Hertfordshire Regiment transferred to 15th Coy. Labour Corps. (634969).
He served first with the 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment with the service number 266235 which appears to be a late (1917) renumbered service number. Further investigation reveals that he was originally 4203 indicating an enlistment date of between 4th November and 13th December 1914. As he has a later number he must have still been with them when the Battalions were reorganised in 1917 and entered service in France on 18th April 1915
He was transferred after 1917 to the 15th Company Labour Corps. This Corps was comprised of those soldiers deemed unfit or no longer fit for front line service, and often returning after illness or wounding would be assigned there. It is a reasonable assumption therefore, that George Mascall was wounded in a previous action, quite possibly 31 July 1917, when the Battalion took approximately 75% casualties on the first day of the Passchendaele offensive.
George served in Britain for the remainder of the war and died 15 February 1919. The reason for his death is unknown, but it may well have been due to an old wound.
George Mascall is buried at St. James’ Church, High Wych. As is normal practice his tombstone records his service with the fighting battalion. He was aged 25.
Additional Information
There appears to be no inscription however the CWGC records show the name of Mrs A Mascall, 53 West Road, Sawbridgeworth, which would have been recorded after his death..
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Douglas Coe
