Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Henry Mansell Jnr. was born 1888 in Bloxwich, Staffordshire, one of 9 children, 5 boys, 2 girls and 2 deceased (gender unknown), born to coal miner Henry Mansell Snr. and his wife Sarah Ann, natives of Shropshire who at the time of Henry Jnr.’s birth were living at 79, New Street, Walsall, Staffordshire. Henry Jnr. married Eliza Wilcox during the 1st quarter of 1906 in Walsall and went on to have four children, 3 girls and 1 boy.
Henry Jnr. enlisted in the Special Reserve in Bloxwich, a form of part time military service which enabled him to continue to work as a coal miner with the obligation of 3-4 weeks training every year. Assigned to the 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment he chose to re-enlist on a four yearly basis. When the family moved north Henry was transferred to the 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry as Private 1349. In 1911 his parents, he and his wife, their 3 children and his 2 younger brothers, Timothy and Albert, also his sister's daughter Ellen Maud are all living together at 32, Ladysmith Terrace, Craghead, Henry Jnr. along with the other mail members is listed as a coal miner, his wife gave birth to their fourth child, Leo Mansell May 18th 1914 in Craghead.
As a reservist and fully trained, at the outbreak of the Great War, he was automatically called up and liable for overseas service. Henry remained in England undergoing final training until being shipped to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force, April 19th 1915, via Folkestone to Boulogne. As part of the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division, the 8th Battalion concentrated near Steenvoorde in Belgium. April 23rd 1915 they were subjected to a gas attack as the Germans used poisonous gas for the first time during the Second Battle of Ypres. His record bares the words, “gas poisoning”, fortunately he survived this, Henry was also admitted to hospital for a flu gab having felt unwell whilst in the field in 1916. The 8th Battalion remained on the Ypres salient into 1916 and it was here that April 2nd, the now Sergeant Henry Mansell, was wounded, gunshot wounds to the arms and abdomen. Taken by the 2nd Canadian Field Ambulance to the 17th Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Sidings, near Lijssenthoek he died the following day.
Sergeant 1349 Henry Mansell Durham Light Infantry is interred in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, near Ypres in Belgium, grave V. C. 36, he was 29 years old.
Money due to him was divided between his widow Eliza and his father Henry as guardian to his children living in Craghead and to Charlotte Grundy, his sister, erroneously listed as a grandparent, as guardian to Leo Mansell living with her family at 34. Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire. Eliza also received a pension of 26 shillings and 6 pence a week for herself and their 4 children along with his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Henry and Eliza’s daughter Ethel born March 6th 1906 in Staffordshire died in Lichfield 1991 aged 85 years, Nellie born July 7th 1908 Staffordshire, death unknown, Sarah Ann born January 5th 1910 Staffordshire, death unknown and Leo Mansell born May 18th 1914 in Craghead, County Durham died September 26th 1985 in Lichfield Staffordshire aged 71years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Henry Mansell is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 C120.02 and C120.04
