Albert Edward Mason
- Family History
- Military History
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Albert was the son of Edward and Kate Mason. His father was born in Newthorpe about 1874 and it seems likely that his mother was Kate Jameson who was born in Essex in 1874 (place of birth on 1911 Census illegible). Edward and Kate were married in 1897 (marriage registered A/M/J Nottingham) and had five children of whom four were still living in 1911: Albert Edward b. 9 April 1898 (RN record), Matthew b. abt. 1902 (Kimberley), Hetty (Ettie) b. New Basford birth registered 1905 J/F/M Nottingham, and Edward b. abt. 1907 New Basford. The family has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census but in 1911 they were living at 6 Cambridge Street, Radford. In the household on the night of the census was Edward (37), a miner/coal loader, Kate (37), Albert Edward (13), Matthew (11), Ettie (7) and Edward (4). Albert's father predeceased him (date of death not traced) and the notice of Albert's death in 1916 refers to his mother, sisters and brothers although no record has yet been found of another girl apart from Ettie. Kate Mason was living at 6 Moore Yard, Pelican Street, New Radford, Nottingham, when she was notified of Albert's death in 1916. In 1921 Kate married George Alfred Britton, a widower whose wife Florence Gertrude (nee Gent) had died at the age of 37 in 1920. When the CWGC record was compiled Kate was already married to George and living at 40 Cambridge Street, New Radford, Nottingham. Kate died in 1953 at the age of 79 (death registered June Nottingham); her husband George died in 1976 aged 93 (b. 22 October 1883).
He joined the Royal Navy on 17 November 1914 and entered on a 12 year engagement on 9 April 1916, his 18th birthday. He served in the following ships and shore establishments: HMS Ganges 17 November 1914-12 April 1915 (Boy 2nd Class, Boy 1st Class 29 March 1915); Pembroke I, 13 April 1915-14 April 1915; HMS Black Prince, 15 April 1915-31 May 1916. His service record was annotated: ‘NP 40651916. DD 31st May 1916. Killed in action.’ Albert died at the Battle of Jutland; his body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial The circumstances surrounding the loss of HMS Black Prince were unclear for many years because there were no positive sightings of her after 17.42. Recent historians hold to the German account of the ship's sinking. Black Prince briefly engaged the German battleship Rheinland at about 23:35 GMT, scoring two hits with 6-inch shells. Separated from the rest of the British fleet, Black Prince approached the German lines at approximately midnight. She turned away from the German battleships, but it was too late. The German battleship Thüringen fixed Black Prince in her searchlights and opened fire. Up to five other German ships, including battleships Nassau, Ostfriesland, and Friedrich der Grosse, joined in the bombardment, with return fire from Black Prince being ineffective. Most of the German ships were between 750 and 1500 yards of Black Prince - effectively point blank range for contemporary naval gunnery. Black Prince was hit by at least twelve heavy shells and several smaller ones, sinking within 15 minutes. There were no survivors from Black Prince's crew, all 857 being killed.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 12 June 1916: ‘Mason. On May 31st, lost on HMS Black Prince, Albert Edward Mason, aged 18 years, the beloved son of Kate and the late Edward Mason. He died a noble death. From his sorrowing mother, sisters (sic), brothers.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
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