Sgt. Robert Egremont Mason

Son of David Mason and Jessie Mary Mason (Sheild), late of 38, River Bank, Wanganui. Sergeant in WMR, file number 11/635. "Left us during the last term of 1911. From that date to 1914 he worked on his father's farm, relinquishing his duties in order to enlist when war was declared. He went into camp at Awapuni during August, 1914, and on to Trentham about six weeks later, leaving Wellington with the Main Body in October. He was training in Egypt for five months, and left for the Dardanelles with the 2nd Squadron W.M.R., landing there on May 12th. Some weeks later he was invalided back to Egypt, thence to England, where he was placed in hospital at Bristol, and later at the Epsom Convalescent Camp. When sufficiently well he was sent back to Egypt to rejoin his regiment, and saw all the fighting in the desert campaign up to November 14th, 1917, when he fell mortally wounded, and was buried ten miles S.E. of Jaffa. At the time of his death he was on the list for a commission." (In Memoriam, 1914-1918 [Wanganui Collegiate School]).

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
2. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/nzefrohMa.html / Ref 12.4.2021