MS605
MASON, Ernest Seth William James
| Service Number: | 2392 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 June 1915, Keswick, SA |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Forest Range, SA, 1897 |
| Home Town: | Forest Range, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Gardener |
| Died: | Lobethal, SA, 4 September 1937, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section) Section: LO, Road: 1AS, Site No: 18 |
| Memorials: | Woodside District of Onkaparinga Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2392, 27th Infantry Battalion, Keswick, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, 2392, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, 2392, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2392 | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2392, 32nd Infantry Battalion |
Ernest Seth William James Mason
Ernest Seth William James Mason was born at Forest Range on the 9th May 1897. He worked as a gardener prior to enlisting on the 22nd June 1915, aged 18. Mason listed his mother Mrs Alice Mason, as his next of kin. He joined the 27th Battalion.
While serving in France Mason was wounded in action on three separate occasions throughout the period June 1916 to March 1918, sustaining shell shock, a gunshot wound to his chest and left hand at Camiers and being gassed at Ecault.
Prior to being returned to Australia on the 1st July 1919, Sergeant Mason committed the offence of “ willfully allowing a prisoner to escape while commander of the
guard at Tidworth Barracks”{U.K} and was “severely Sgt. E.S.W.J. Mason reprimanded by Lieutenant Colonel Knox on the 14th
May 1919.”{NAA Defence Service Records E.S.W.J. Mason Service No.2392.} Upon returning home Mason took over Block 7 in the Forest Range district and leased Ted Rowley’s former property {now sections 401-402} next to the original Mason land. Ern Mason served as Manager of the Forest Range Fruitgrowers’ Co-operative Society. After he died in 1937 his wife Constance sold Block 7, but kept it in the Mason family.
Submitted 10 October 2023 by christopher collins
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Ernest Seth William James Mason was born at Payneham to Seth Mason and Alice Maria Croft on 9 May 1897. Ern's grandfather was James Alfred Mason, an early Forest Range settler and his grandmother was Mary Elizabeth Mabbett.
Ern fought in World War One and is shown in his uniform. He enlisted in the 27th Battalion, 5th Reinforcement (service #2392) on 22 June 1915 when he was aged 18. He embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 13 October 1915 to fight in Egypt and on the Western Front. He reached the rank of Sergeant and returned to Australia on 20 June 1919.
MASON.—On September 4, Ernest Seth William James Mason, beloved husband of Constance May, and loving father of Maurice, Audrey, Maisie, Terence, Lionel, and Gerald.
Rest after weariness.
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