Harold Mayne

Harold joined the 7th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment which was part of Kitchener’s Second Army which joined the 51st Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division. After initial training close to home, the Division moved to Dorset to continue training and then in late May 1915 moved to the Winchester area. On the 14th July 1915 they proceeded to France, landing at Boulogne then concentrating near St Omer. They moved into the Southern Ypres salient for trench familiarisation and then took over the the front lines in that area. In the spring of 1916 they were in action at the Bluff, south east of Ypres on the Comines canal then moved south to The Somme seeing action during The Battle of Albert in which the Division captured Fricourt and The Battle of Delville Wood. Harold had little knowledge of things military before he joined the Army, but he was a smart, intelligent man and was soon promoted to the rank of Sergeant. It was during this time in France, in February 1916 whilst in charge of a platoon, he carried out a counter attack on the Germans when Harold was mortally wounded and died on the 15th of February 1916 at the age of 23. He is named on the Menin Gate memorial, Ypres. The medals he was awarded, the Victory Medal, British War Medal and the 1915 Star would have been sent to his next of kin. Sergeant H Mayne Worksop Guardian 3 March 1916 Another employee of the Right Hon. F J Savile Foljambe of Osberton has fallen on the field of honour in Sergeant H Mayne, 7th Lincolns, official intimation of whose death has been received. Sergt Mayne was one of three men employed in Osberton gardens who enlisted together soon after the outbreak of the war, and he is the second of the three to lay down his life, Sergt G Reens dying from fever. The third man, Sergt North, has so far escaped unscathed and is still in the fighting line. Since the three enlisted, ten other men employed at Osberton gardens have joined the Forces. Sergt Mayne died the death of a hero. He was in charge of a platoon, and during a counter attack on the Germans in February 16th, he was mortally wounded. He was a good soldier, as modest as he was brave. He was, we believe, an only son and he was held in high esteem by his superiors at Osberton. He had little knowledge of things military before he joined the Army, but he was a smart, intelligent man and was soon promoted to the rank of Sergeant. The friends he had made in the locality will regret to hear of his death, and tender their sympathy to his relations.

Scofton church memorial details:- Sergt Harold Mayne, Lincolnshire Regiment No. 13730 CWG additional information;- Son of James and Mary Mayne of 32 Wigtown Rd, Eltham, London enlisted Nov 1914. Research by Colin Dannatt