Great War pair to 28420 S.McIntyre of the Northumberland Fusiliers, 1918 Trench Mortar Battery Prisoner of War, plus 2 medals for the North of England Musical Tournament 1930 & 31 to F.T. McIntyre

Great War pair to 28420 S.McIntyre of the Northumberland Fusiliers .plus 2 medals for the North of England Musical Tournament 1930 & 31 to F.T. McIntyre.

Pte Stanley McIntyre, 1/4th Northumberland Fusiliers, attached Trench Mortar Battery – Prisoner of War May 1918

Stanley McIntyre came from Whitley Bay. He may, like 28429 Pte Percy Green[1], have been a ‘Derby Scheme’ man, attesting his willingness to serve on a deferred enlistment basis – in Green’s case, making his attestation on 22 November 1915. Possibly, like 28426 James Richards (a musician and band boy, born 1900, who enlisted in the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers), together with 28418 Pte Thomas Lambert (26th and then 12th and 12/13th Northumberland Fusiliers), and the aforementioned Pte Green, Stanley enlisted or was mobilised/called up circa 17 April 1916, subsequently training with the 15th (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers at Rugeley, Cannock Chase.

Going overseas some time after 31 December 1915, Pte McIntyre most probably embarked for France, like 28429 Green, on or about 10 September 1916 – although, unlike Green, he was then posted to a Northumberland Fusiliers battalion rather than being transferred to the West Riding Regiment.

According to his medal roll entry, Pte McIntyre served with the 1/4th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. The 1/4th was part of the Northumberland Brigade, Northumbrian Division and landed in France in April 1915. In May 1915 the brigade became the 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. After taking part in much fighting in the Ypres salient, the battalion moved down to the Somme in August 1916 preparatory to taking part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on 15 September 1916. The battalion incurred substantial casualties in this action (120 killed, 236 wounded and 143 missing) and it is probably as a result of this that Pte McIntyre was drafted to the battalion, possibly as part of a draft of 139 other ranks received on 26 September 1916. If so his first experience in the line may have been following the 1 October 1916 Battle of the Transloy Ridges (on the night of which the 4th battalion provided carrying parties for the Durham Light Infantry units in the line), as the battalion relieved the 8th Durham Light Infantry and 5th Border Regiment: “The weather and the mud was appalling and a large number of bombs had to be carried forward, so the men were absolutely exhausted. The relief was not completed until about 9am on the morning of the 3rd”.

From an inquiry lodged with Red Cross, we know that Pte McIntyre was attached to a Light Trwnch Mortar Battery, and would most probably have been attached the Light Trench Mortar Battery of 149th Brigade, which joined the brigade upon its formation, from infantrymen of the Brigade, on 18 June 1916. It is not clear from surviving records precisely when this took place. The Long, Long Trail gives the following information about the LTMBs: “Light Trench Mortar Battery (2 Sections, each of four 3-inch Stokes mortars)

Captain, 3 Lieutenants or Second Lieutenants, 2 Sergeants, 8 Corporals or Lance-Corporals, 32 Privates, 4 Batmen.".

Either with the battalion, or as part of the LTMB, Pte McIntyre would have been involved in further action in the Le Transloy-Butte de Warlencourt area in November 1916, and the 1/4th Northumberland Fusiliers remained on the Somme through the winter of 1916-17 before serving at Arras during the first and second Battles of the Scarpe, and then at Ypres during October 1917, taking part in the Battle of Passchendaele.

1918 saw involvement in the German Spring Offensive 1918 (Battles of St Quentin, the Somme Crossings and Rosieres), with the 149th Light Trench Mortar Battery travelling by train with other units of the brigade there to hold the rear zone defences (Green Line), specifically the right flank of the brigade front. After facing an enemy assault on the 22nd, the 4th battalion was driven back to Caulaincourt and there again found its flank exposed, and the 50th Division ordered a withdrawal that night over the bridge at St Christ. By this time the brigade trench mortar battery was out of ammunition and so took its place on the inner flank of the 5th battalion. The withdrawal to the western bank of the Somme was successfully completed and the St Christ bridge, partially destroyed through being blown up and burned, was fought over through the night, the 4th NF and 22nd Entrenching Battalion successfully thwarting one partially-successful crossing, until the units of the 50th Division began withdrawing from the line of the canal circa 3am on the 23rd March.

April 1918 saw the 50th Division sent up to the Lys sector to relieve Portuguese forces there. On the day the further German offensive, Operation Georgette, hit, 9 April 1918, the 149th Brigade was out of the line but then advanced to support the 150th Brigade in defending the northern bank of the River Lys. On 10 April the crossing at Pont Levis was forced at 7.30am and the enemy forced their way into Estaires, requiring the 149th Brigade to reform their defensive line, from which a partially-successful counter-attack was launched by the 6th NF. However, it was not enough to prevent the Germans strengthening the bridgehead. On the 11th the brigade was gradually forced back and a general withdrawal was made at 2.30am on the 12th, with Neuf-Berquin falling later that morning. The 149th Brigade was relieved that night. During the action on the Lys Lt Stiles of the trench mortar battery was wounded and the squad of stretcher bearers carrying him back was knocked out whilst doing so.

In early May 1918 the battered 50th Division, then training at Coulognes, was 'warned' to be ready to take over positions from the 51st Division d'Infanterie Francaise in the Pontavert sector on the Aisne. Doing this with effect from the morning of 6 May, the 149th Brigade's part was to relieve the 1st to 3rd Battalions, 33rd Regiment d'Infanterie. The 151st Brigade occupied positions to the 149th's right, and 8th Division to its left. The first six days on the line were very quiet, with very slight enemy activity. On 19 May, the 149th Brigade HQ war diary noted "1.30am A German fighting patrol of 3 NCOs and 12 O.R. penetrated our wire at 84.16 owing to its being mistaken for a wiring party which was due to go out at this time. They were able to approach and bomb no.5 LG post of A Coy (centre) (85.15). Rifle and L.G. fire was at once turned onto them and they fled back to their own lines leaving one dead man and one wounded NCO. The remainder were caught in No Man's Land by our light TM fire and undoubtedly suffered more casualties. Prisoner belonged to IIIrd Bn 33rd R 103d D.I. (Normal). Our casualties were 4 killed, 4 wounded and 1 missing." 

After a preliminary bombardment of unparalleled intensity commencing at 1am on 27 May 1918, the German launched the assault which commenced the Battle of the Aisne 1918 at 3.45am. An initial assault on the line held by the 4th NF was repulsed but a re-formed attack supported by four tanks on the 4th and 6th NF line was successful. After passing through the battle zone supported by tanks, the Germans turned their attention to the redoubt line, where Lt-Col Gibson of the 4th NF was making a stand, eventually falling back onto the Butte de l’Edmond when the redoubt line was finally taken, and there being killed in action. The Light Trench Mortar Battery was also represented in this action, the 4th Northumberland Fusiliers chaplain recording in his memoir, ‘When the Lantern of hope Burned Low’, “Captain Benson, of the Trench Mortar Battery, having made his way to the forefront of the fight, led an attack on a German tank but was killed in the effort.”. By 8.30 Pontavert and its bridges had been taken and the remnants of the brigade and many stragglers were collected and the focus shifted to guarding the remaining Aisne bridges at Chaudardes and Concevreux. Through the afternoon the improvised force was pushed back through Concevreux, the high ground to its south, Le Faite Farm and south of Ventelay. This movement continued through the night and the remnants withdrew to the high ground north of Montigny where the 75th Brigade assumed command.

It was most probably during this battle that Pte McIntyre was captured, featuring on the Red Cross/Joint War Organisations Enquiry list as “Northumberland Fusiliers C Company attached L Trench Mortar Battery. Missing Last heard 18 . 5. 18 France. Mrs S McIntyre, (wife) 27, Alnwick Avenue, Whitley Bay, Northld.”

The 149th Brigade War Diary entry for 1pm on the 26th observed "During the fighting since 5am we had had no artillery support and very few MGs. The enemy artillery advanced very quickly and were continually in action." The light trench mortars were not referenced specifically in this extract but it seems very likely that (if they did not suffer from the same ammunition problems referenced during the Battle of St Quentin) they were also swept away before the German assault.

The Enquiry index card notes "Negative reply 29 July 1918" but adds (presumably subsequently) “According to letter of fam. 20.x9.19 in a prison in Germany".

He is not readily identifiable in any 1918 Daily Casualty List, however as McIntyre, S, Private, Service Number 28420, Northumberland Fusiliers, he does feature on War Office Daily List No.5761, Report Date 2 January 1919, listed as ‘Released Prisoner of War from Germany, arrived in England’. This list gives his Next of Kin Address as Whitley Bay.

He was subsequently discharged to the Army Class Z Reserve and would have received his British War Medal and Victory Medal (this being his full entitlement) some time after May 1920.

[1] 8th Northumberland Fusiliers, later 23772, 2nd West Riding

WW1 VICTORY MEDAL to Pte Joseph JORDAN who served with the 9/ROYAL SCOTS ('the Dandy Ninth') and was wounded in 1918

WW1 VICTORY MEDAL to Pte Joseph JORDAN who served with the 9/ROYAL SCOTS ('the Dandy Ninth') and was wounded in 1918. He enlisted twice, the first time underage (he was still under 17 when discharged), and came from Motherwell.

Joseph Jordan was born in Motherwell in 1899. He may be one and the same with "Joseph Jardine", who was recorded, aged 2, on the 1901 Scotland Census as the son of Patrick and Mary, born in Motherwell circa 1899, living with his parents and elder brother Francis at 115 Milton Street, Dalziel. He appears to have first joined-up underage; certainly there is a service record for a 3711 Joseph Jordan, residing at the same address as was later recorded for 59024 Joseph Jordan, attesting for the 3/6th Scottish Rifles at Hamilton on 21 December 1915 and giving his age as 19 years, 60 days and his occupation as 'miner'. He gave as his next of kin his father, Patrick. This man served for 138 days, with a good character, before being discharged from the 6th (Reserve) Battalion, Scottish Rifles under paragraph 392 vi(a) of King's Regulations on 6 May 1916. ((vi) Having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment: (a) Soldier under 17 years of age at date of application for discharge.) His Medical Inspection Report tellingly gave his 'apparent age' as 19 years and noted that he stood 5 feet 4 inches tall with a 34 1/2" chest, normal vision and good physical development.

Enlisting again on 10 June 1917, probably aged circa 18 1/2, he trained with the 55th Training Reserve Battalion under the Regimental number TR/2/13362 and also with an unknown unit under the number 54384. He then served as 59024 with the 9th Battalion, Royal Scots (Highlanders), a kilted/Highland battalion of the Royal Scots, nicknamed 'The Dandy Ninth', which was part of the Territorial Force. Mobilising on the outbreak of war, the battalion first formed part of the home defences of Scotland before splitting into a first line (overseas service) and second line (home service), and sending its first line (the 1/9th) overseas to France on 24 February 1915.

"1/9th Royal Scots

The first-line 'Service' battalion 1/9th Royal Scots deployed to France on 24 February 1915 and joined 27th Division in the Ypres Salient. When chlorine gas was employed in the Second Battle of Ypres, 9th Royal Scots helped fill the gap on 23 April 1915. In March 1916 they transferred to the 51st (Highland) Division and served with them at High Wood, Beaumont-Hamel, Arras, Third Ypres and Cambrai. They were sent to strengthen the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division in February 1918 and faced the German spring offensives at St Quentin (Operation Michael) and at the Lys. They moved again in June 1918, this time to the 15th (Scottish) Division, and served near Soissons, where the battalion suffered its heaviest loss of the war at Villemontoire on 1 August 1918. In the Hundred Days Offensive, the 1/9th Royal Scots captured Vendin-le-Vieil on 12 October 1918, and advanced into Belgium. They were serving with the division when the Armistice was signed."

His date of going overseas is not recorded but is likely to have been, given his age, some time in early 1918 and before 12 April, when his fellow Private, 59026 Thomas Black Forsyth, was killed in action, also whilst serving with the Ninth.

Pte Jordan was wounded, suffering from a Gun Shot Wound (any penetrating wound) to his Left Forearm. This was possibly around 11-12 April 1918 at Steenbecque, during the Battle of the Lys. If so, he would have been one of 135 other ranks who were wounded during the month of April, with a further 15 other ranks killed, 144 missing and 2 dead of wounds. Alternatively, the 9th Battalion spent the second half of April and the month of May alternating between the line and billets in the St Venant area, suffering three men killed and 21 wounded during May, and it is possible that Pte Jordan was one of the latter. He was listed as Wounded on War Office Daily List No.5593, Report Date 15 June 1918, being thereby entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of the 6th July 1916. This list confirmed his Next of Kin Address as Motherwell.

He was discharged under paragraph 392 xvi of King's Regulations, no longer physically fit due to wounds, on 11 February 1919. He was issued Silver War Badge Number B211912.

After the war he lived at 37 Crosshill Street, Motherwell, Scotland.

L/9460 Pte. T E Marshall, 1st Royal Sussex Regiment, served North West Frontier 1919 and Afghanistan, entitled to 1914-15 Star and India General Service Medal

L/9460 Pte. T E Marshall, 1st Royal Sussex Regiment, served North West Frontier 1919 and Afghanistan, entitled to 1914-15 Star and India General Service Medal

 

Thomas Edward Marshall served in India, the North West Frontier and Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Per the 1911 Army Census, he may have been from Watlington, Battle, Sussex, born circa 1889. Although his enlistment date is not recorded, he is likely to have been a career soldier, enlisting some time in the latter half of 1910. In August 1914 the battalion was in Peshawar, India as part of the 1st (Peshawar) Brigade, 1st (Peshawar) Division, Indian Army. The battalion remained in India throughout the war. The regimental history comments:

“In the early months of the Great War practically all the British troops in India were withdrawn for service in Europe and elsewhere, their place being taken by Territorials. The only Regular troops retained in India were a Brigade for service on the North-West Frontier, as it was considered inadvisable to trust such a responsible position to young troops fresh from home, with no Indian experience. This explains why the 1st Battalion, undoubtedly as fine a battalion as any serving in India, was not sent to Europe to take part in the Great War.”

Notwithstanding this, Pte Marshall entered the Asiatic theatre of War at Hafiz with his battalion on 17 August 1915, and was therefore entitled to the 1914-15 Star. This theatre covered operations “Near Hafiz Kor, within the area bounded on the south by the left bank of the Kabul river, and on the east by a line from Adozai to Tangi, both places included, under the command of Major-General C. F. G. Young, from 14th to 19th April, 1915, and under the command of Major-General F. Campbell, C.B., D.S.O., between 29th August, 1915 and 10th October, 1915, all dates inclusive.”

The campaign is described in the ‘Short History of the Royal Sussex Regiment 1701-1926’, as follows: “1915. On August 17th the Battalion mobilised for service on the North-West Frontier and proceeded to Rustam for operations on the Buner Border. The Battalion took part in three minor engagements on August 21st, 26th and 31st, which effectually subdued the Bunerwals. Though the opposition offered by the tribesmen was not great, the operations are worthy of note, for they were carried out during the heat of an Indian summer, and it is seldom in these days that British troops are called upon to fight under such trying conditions.

Meanwhile, the Mohmands had risen, and the 3rd Brigade were ordered to move as quickly as possible to Adezai in support of the 1st and 4th Brigades, operating on that border. Arriving on September 23rd, the Brigade remained inactive until October 8th, when it took part in the second action near Hafiz Kor. The Battalion was for a time under heavy fire and had a few casualties, but the Mohmands dispersed, not having offered the resistance which was expected. The Battalion returned to Peshawar on October 29th.”

The battalion, or detachments of it, were involved in providing a flying column into Mohmand country in September 1916 and manning part of a line of barbed and live wire, interspersed with blockhouses, in 1917. 1919 saw the battalion initially engaged in riot control duties in Poona and Bombay, and then sent to Peshawar in the context of a developing conflict with Afghanistan. Actions included taking a ridge on the Orange River which overlooked the Ali Musjid-Jamrud Road, reconnaissance and sorties in extreme heat, and defence of posts, members of the battalion winning five gallantry medals in the process. Following the signing of peace with Afghanistan in August 1919, and some operations against tribesmen in the Khaibar in September, the battalion, reduced to a cadre, returned home in December 1919. Subsequently it was embodied within the Army of the Rhine.

For Pte Marshall’s service on the North West Frontier and in Afghanistan he earned the India General Service Medal with the clasp ‘Afghanistan North West Frontier 1919’. By this time he had been given the new service number 6390437. He would have received his 1914-15 Star some time after December 1919, his British War Medal and Victory Medal some time after November 1920, and his IGSM some time after August 1921.

WW1 British War Medal 7307 PTE W POCOCK 23- LOND. R. and 6 SOM. L.I., Prisoner of War 21 March 1918

WW1 British War Medal 7307 PTE W POCOCK 23- LOND. R. and 6 SOM. L.I., Prisoner of War 21 March 1918

William [Henry] Pocock was born on 6 August 1894 in West Ham, London. He served with the 1/23rd (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment under the Regimental number 7307. This was a Territorial unit, forming part of 142nd Brigade, 47th (London) Division. He would have gone overseas some time after 31 December 1915, but probably prior to March 1917, when the Territorial Force Infantry was renumbered. His potential service with the battalion could have taken in the Battle of the Somme (in which the battalion was engaged at High Wood, and then again at Eaucourt l’Abbaye) in 1916. He was then subsequently transferred to the Somerset Light Infantry, with whom he served under the Regimental number 27470, and posted to the 6th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry, serving with 43rd Brigade, 14th (Light) Division. Probably, like 27484 L-Cpl Thomas Snelling, this took place circa 6 November 1916, in which case he potentially took part in the Battles of Arras and Third Ypres.

By March 1918 the 6th battalion had just returned to the line, apparently near Cherisy, going into the line at 11pm on 18 March. This was after ten days' 'rest' in Montescourt, during which time the battalion furnished working parties most days to work on strongpoints. Whilst in the line it supplemented this by wiring and constructing new fire bays in the trench.

The opening German attack of the German Spring Offensive on the 21st was preceded by an intense bombardment commencing at 4.30am. The battalion war diary reports that by 4.40am all signal communications were cut, later communication relying on pigeons, until between 10.35am and 11.10am one officer, six runners and three signallers from battalion HQ determined to fight their way from strong point 'Egypt' to Brigade HQ, one officer, two runners and one signaller getting through.

The war diary (complied, as Captain Frampton, the Adjutant notes, from memory and records available) reckoned 20 officers and 540 men, those manning to forward positions, to have become casualties, the remnants of the battalion falling back to defend Jussy under the command of the 9th Scottish Rifles.

“In the line 21 [March 1918]

At 4 30 am the enemy opened an intense bombardment with all calibre shells, using a new kind of gas shell, result of which was not unpleasant but had the effect of sleeping gas. At 8 30am he finished gas shelling but continued with other shells. It was very foggy. Extra sentries were posted at all points. All signal comms was cut by 4 40 am. At 10 20 am news was recd by runner the enemy was in the front line, Support Coys. BN HQ moved into strong points[sic] Egypt where fighting immediately commenced. 2 pigeons were despatched & papers etc burnt. The enemy at 10 30 am were streaming down the St QUENTIN Road from both flanks & [forced?] into LA FOLIE QUARRY. At 10 35am he was reported to be pushing towards BENAY and LERIZY. 1 officer, 6 runners & 2 signallers commenced to fight their way to Bde HQ with the news to warn strong points. 1 officer reached Bde 11 10AM, 2 runners arriving 10 minutes after, 1 signaller also got [over?] successfully. After which this party were attached to 9 Scottish Rifles in reserve trenches behind Bde HQ. Estimated casualties 20 officers 540 other ranks actually in the front line at the time of the attack.”

Pte Pocock, serving with XV Platoon, 'D' Company, went missing on this date, being reported as such in War Office Daily List No.5587, Report Date 8 June 1918. This list gave his Next of Kin Address as Stratford, E[ast London].

He featured on the Joint War Organisation Enquiries: Missing, Wounded and Dead Personnel list in August 1918, the enquiry confirming that he had gone missing on March 21/1918 and also giving his Company and Platoon.

In reality, he had become a Prisoner of war, this finally being confirmed in War Office Daily List No.5727, Report Date 20 November 1918. In this list he featured as 'Casualty Listed as Previously reported missing, now reported Prisoner of War in lists received from the German Government'.

He passed through prisoner of war camps at Stendal and Zerbst, German records giving his place of capture as ‘Moy’. He gave as his next of kin Mr H Pocock, 17 How Street, Stratford, London.

Per War Office Daily List No.5775, Report Date 18 January 1919 he was listed as 'Released Prisoner of War from Germany, arrived in England'.

After nine more months on the strength of the army he was demobilised and transferred to the Army 'Z' Reserve on 12 October 1919.

After the war he married Nellie Pocock, and by 1921 was an Assistant Steward formerly working for the Blue Star Line, although as of April that year he was out of work. By 1939 the couple were living in North Witchford, Cambridgeshire. William being employed as a railway crossing keeper, with a presumed son, William E Pocock. William the elder’s death was registered in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire in the third quarter of 1981.

23803 Pte T Mawson, 1/5th and 8th Border Regiment, wounded in action July 1916

23803 Pte T Mawson, 1/5th and 8th Border Regiment, wounded in action July 1916

 

Thomas Mawson was from Egremont in Cumberland, born circa 1890. With dark blue eyes and light brown hair, he was a clogger and shoemaker in civil life and appears to have been asthmatic since boyhood. By January 1915 he was living at 90, Main Street with his mother. An early war volunteer, he served for 16 days in 1915 with the Territorial Force in the 6^th and then 1/5th Battalion, the Border Regiment under the Regimental Number 2811 before being discharged as Physically Unfit having been ‘certificated as suffering from miners’ phthisis by depot medical officer’ on 20 February. He then attested his willingness to serve under the Derby Scheme in December 1915 and after a period in the Army Section ‘B’ Reserve, was mobilised on 9 February 1916. His medical record, made at Carlisle on the same day, gave his vital statistics as height 5 feet 7 ½ inches, weight 112lbs, chest measurement 34 ½ inches and range of expansion 3 ½ inches. No comment was made as to physical development.

Going overseas in relatively short order on 2 June, he would have joined the 8^th Borders in 25^th Division fairly shortly thereafter. At this time the battalion had just come out of the line in the Neuville St Vaast sector (north of Arras, close to Vimy Ridge) and was in billets at Savy (possibly Savy-Berlette, 12 miles north west of Arras), remaining there until 13 June. After several changes of camp, interspersed with training (with a particular focus on bayonet training) the battalion marched down to the Somme via Talmas and Forceville, arriving at the latter late on 30 June/1 July. On 2 July the battalion moved to Martinsart Wood, sending a ‘B Team’ of battle surplus officers and men to Vandecourt and then taking up a position in the front line trenches south of Thiepval in preparation for the next day’s attack. The battalion attacked at 6am, the plan calling for an attack in four waves, ‘D’ and ‘A’ Companies leading. In the event, whilst the first two companies went out punctually to time, the second two waves were held in the front line and then used to send reinforcements when required. 180 yards of much damaged German trench was taken but the battalion was then obliged to retire due to the right flank having given way. The war diary noted difficulties in communications owing to the reliance on runners/orderlies who were unfamiliar with the trench systems, as well as a lack of reinforcements from Reserve and commented “The German rifle & machine gun fire was not particularly severe and had communication with the right & left been kept up throughout the attack would have been successful”. The battalion suffered 4 officers killed and 10 wounded and 430 other rank casualties in this action and was relieved the following day, marching to Aveluy Wood and then on the 7^th moving to the Usna Redoubt (just in front of La Boisselle) via Albert, from where the whole battalion returned to the front line (former German trenches) between the 10^th and 12^th of July.

On 13 July the battalion was ordered to attack and take two lines of German trenches on the southern side of Ovillers, successfully taking them with little resistance, and then continuing the attack on 14 July, when the trench occupied by ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies (on the left) was retaken and a ‘block’ had to be established at its northern end whilst the trench was consolidated; meanwhile the rest of the battalion pushed on to take Ovillers Church and the trench to the north, being relieved by the 11^th Cheshires on the 15th. After resting in the former German front line (now the support trench to Ovillers) on 16 and 17 July the battalion was withdrawn via Senlis, Headauville and Amplier where it remained for some days.  

Meanwhile, Pte Mawson, having suffered a gun shot wound to the right leg, was listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from 21 August 1916. He was therefore entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of 6 July 1916, the terms of this award being met by naming in this list.

Based upon an average lapse of circa one month between a man becoming a casualty and his name being published (to allow time to notify the family, etc) this might suggest that he was wounded in mid-July at Ovillers, However, given the large number of names to be published following the start of the Somme offensive, he may equally have been wounded in action on 3 July 1916 at Martinsart, He appears to have been invalided home on 19 July.

Although he appears to have recovered from his wound, his breathing difficulties clearly re-presented themselves, as he was admitted to the Military Hospital, Barrow, in January 1917 with Asthma, being medically boarded before an Invaliding Board on 3 February and recommended for discharge. Pte Mawson was discharged from the 3rd Battalion, the Border Regiment at Preston as Physically Unfit due to sickness (although a subsequent pension application and appeal was refused, presumably on the basis that the impairment was not due to service) on 24 February 1917 after 1 year 76 days of service. His Military character was recorded as ‘Good’, whilst his ‘Character awarded in accordance with King’s Regulations’ noted that he was ‘a steady, sober man’. He was issued the Silver War Badge, Badge Number 140264 in March 1917 as well as receiving a Gratuity of £45 for 25% disabling Asthma, and would have received his British War Medal and Victory Medal some time after October 1920.