Charles Mason

1889 – 1918

Private. Service N° 54304

Killed in action on 21 Mar 1918

Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)

The Sherwood Foresters, officially known as the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, were a line infantry regiment that played a significant role in the First World War. They fought on the Western Front, notably during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, where they suffered heavy casualties while capturing the village of Gommecourt. The regiment also participated in the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) in 1917, enduring the grueling conditions of trench warfare. Known for their tenacity, the Sherwood Foresters raised multiple battalions, with many serving in Gallipoli and Italy as well.

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Arras Memorial

62000, Arras

British War Medal

The British War Medal was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial Forces who either entered a theatre of war or served overseas between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, with eligibility later extended to services in Russia, Siberia, and other areas in 1919 and 1920..

Approximately 6.5 million were struck in silver, and 110,000 in bronze for certain labour corps (e.g., Chinese, Maltese, and Indian). The medal weighs about one ounce, and its silver composition sometimes led to it being pawned or melted down for scrap value during tough economic times post-war. It was nicknamed “Squeak” when paired with the Victory Medal (“Wilfred”) in the popular trio.

Victory Medal

The Victory Medal, also known as the Inter-Allied Victory Medal, was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star, and to most who received the British War Medal, for service in a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918..

It was extended to include mine clearance in the North Sea until 30 November 1919 and the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War until 1 July 1920. Approximately 5.7 million were issued across the British Empire. Each Allied nation designed its own version, but all shared a common ribbon and the winged Victory figure on the obverse. It was nicknamed “Wilfred” in the “Pip, Squeak, and Wilfred” trio.