Oswald Sansom
- Family History
- Military History
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Oswald Sansom was born in 1898 he was the son of Charles a card grinder and stripper and Emily Sansom née Coleman of 19 Common Lane, Mansfield Woodhouse. ( also known as Vale Road). Charles was born in 1864 at Mansfield Woodhouse, Emily Coleman was born in 1864 at Sutton in Ashfield, they were married on 15th June 1884 at St Edmund's Church, Mansfield Woodhouse, they went on to have 6 children sadly two died in infancy or early childhood. In 1911 the family are living at 19 Vale Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, Charles is 47 yrs and is a card cutter and stripper, he is living with his wife Emily 47 yrs and their 4 children, including Oswald 12 yrs a scholar.
Private Oswald Samson enlisted on 9th January 1915 (He was under age when he enlisted born 1898) he initially served with the service number 22027 in the Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He went to France in July 1915 and was killed in action on 3rd October 1915 having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Loos Memorial.
Article published 12th November 1915 in the Mansfield Reporter and Sutton Times :- “On October 3rd, Private Oswald Sansom, of Mansfield Woodhouse, who was in the 2nd Cheshire Regiment, was killed in France. He was the son of Mr. Charles Sansom, 19, Vale-road, Mansfield Woodhouse, and brother to Pte. Horace Sansom mentioned in dispatches by General French. Oswald enlisted on the 9th of January, and after training at Plymouth and Sunderland, was sent to France early in July. Official intimation of his death was received on Saturday, October 26. He was only 17 years of age.” His brother, Pte. Horace Sansom, 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), had served on the Western Front since landing in France on 10th August 1914. Invalided home on 29th January 1915, diagnosed with a disordered action of the heart, he was eventually discharged as no longer physically fit for service on 28th November 1917. He lived with his wife, Ethel, at 58 Park View, Mansfield Woodhouse. Above article and information are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Under-age enlistment was rife and Mansfield's local MP, Sir Arthur Markham was very active in raising the matter in Parliament until his death in December 1916.
