Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Joseph Mason was one of 10 children of whom 9 are known by name and 8 had survived by 1911. His father George Mason was born 1854 in the village of Cassop, County Durham, his mother Elizabeth Ann, Punton in the district of Sunderland in 1862. They were married at Sacriston, County Durham, March 17th 1879 and were living in the township of Cornforth at Blackgate in 1881, where George was employed as a coal miner. In search of work he moved his family extensively over the years, Ann affectionately known as Annie was born in 1882 at Nettlesworth near Chester-le-Street, Joseph at Wrekenton, Gateshead, in 1885 although his birth was registered at Bishop Auckland, Jessie in 1897, Framwellgate, City of Durham and Margaret known as Maggie in the village of Perkinsville in 1888. They had returned to Gateshead and were living at 14, Pimlico, in 1891, before returning to Sacriston where they remained for the next six years and had a further 2 children, Jane Ann, 1895 and Mabel, August 25th 1897. George was employed as a coal miner/hewer at Lamesley in 1901, Joseph (17) is described as, “breaking on wagon way above ground.” All their children were still living at home, No.10, Ravensworth Terrace. George Jnr and Ruth were born at Ravensworth in 1901 and 1903 respectively, Martha at Oxhill in 1908, however they had moved to Durham City by 1911 where they were living in 2 rooms at 121, Millburngate. George Mason (56) supported his wife and 5 children employed as a coal hewer below ground, Joseph had left the family home and was living with his uncle and aunt, William and Jane Ann Willis and their 2 children at 20, Ernest Terrace, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, both were employed as hewers at the colliery.
Prior to the declaration of war, George Mason died aged 60 years, registered in the district of Chester-le-Street, County Durham. Joseph enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, after the declaration of war with Germany, August 4th 1914, assigned as Private 17545 to the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. The 1st Battalion was in Portsmouth when it received the order to mobilise and departed to France, August 14th 1914, attached to the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, landing at Le Havre. Private Mason departed, September 3rd 1915, joining his regiment in the field on the Somme, his first experience of a major battle would have been November 13th-16th at the Battle of the Ancre. The regiment then moved to the Arras sector where it fought during the Battles of Arras, April 9th-May 16th 1917 before moving to Belgium where it saw action during the Third Battle of Ypres, July 31st-November 10th 1917. When the Germans attacked again on the Somme, March 21st 1918 their aim was to push the Allies back to the sea and seize the Channel Ports which supplied the British Expeditionary Force. Having risen through the ranks the now Lance Corporal 17545 Joseph Mason Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action during this phase, March 28th 1918. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 34,818 names inscribed on the Arras Memorial, which lies within Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France, commemorating those who died in the sector between April 9th-May 16th 1917 who have no known grave. Lance Corporal Mason was 33 years of age and single.
His mother Elizabeth of 46, Hallgarth Street, Durham, received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Further details as yet unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Joseph Mason is remembered in Durham City on D47.050 D47.054 and D47.125
He is also remembered in the Battalion History page 25
