Stanley Arthur Robert's Story.
1897 – Birth and Baptism
The Birth of a Stanley Arthur R Mason was registered in the Mutford District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1897.
The baptism of a Stanley Arthur Robert Mason, no date of birth recorded, took place at St Margarets, Lowestoft on the 4th July 1897. His parents were Arthur and Charlotte Mason.
1901 Censuses of England & Wales and Scotland
See brother Arthur William
1911 Census of England and Wales
His widowed mother Charlotte, (50), was recorded as the head of the household at 58 May Road, Lowestoft. She states she has had 8 children, all then still alive. Children still single and living with her are Charlotte, (25, Domestic Cook), Elsie, (15) and Stanley, (13, Stationers Errand Boy). Also living in the household is Charlottes’ grand-daughter Queenie Mason, (aged 8 months and born Lowestoft).
On the day
30th November 1917
East of Villers Guislain the troops holding our forward positions on the high ground were still offering a strenuous resistance to the enemy’s attack on their front, at a time when large forces of German infantry had already advanced up the valley between them and Villers Guislain.
South of this village a single strong point known as Limerick Post, garrisoned by troops of the 1/5th Battalion (King’s Own), Royal Lancaster Regiment, and the 1/10th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment (both of the 55th Division), held out with great gallantry throughout the day, though heavily attacked.
The progress made by the enemy, however, across the northern end of the Bonavis Ridge and up the deep gully between Villers Guislain and Gonnelieu, known as 22 Ravine, turned our positions on the ridge as well as in both villages. Taken in flank and rear, the defences of Villers Guislain, Gonnelieu and Bonavis were rapidly over-run.
Gouzeaucourt was captured about 9.0 a.m., the outer defences of La Vacquerie were reached, and a number of guns which had been brought up close to the line, in order to enable them to cover the battle-front about Masnieres and Marcoing, fell into the hands of the enemy.
Researched Simon Gildea and The Great War Forum