Name
John Mansfield
18 May 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/05/1917
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14577
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans WW1 War Memorial, St Peter's Street, St Albans, St Albans Citizens Memorial, Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans, Essendon War Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Essendon, Not on the Hertford memorials, Not on the Little Berkhamsted memorials
Pre War
John was born on 18 May 1887, in Little Berkhamstead, Herts, the son of Thomas and Jane Mansfield, and was baptised on 19 June 1887 in Little Berkhamstead. He was one of eight children.
The 1891 census shows John aged 3 living with his parents and four siblings at Bucks Alley, Little Berkhamstead, Herts. His father died in 1898 and on the 1901 Census he was living with his widowed mother and siblings at Stony Yard, Essendon, Herts. His occupation was given as 'assistant', possibly to his older brother William who was a coal porter.
By 1911 John was a boarder at the Farmers Boy Public House, London Road, St Albans, Herts, lodging with his brother Charles and his wife Edith. He was then working as a general labourer.
His mother's address on pension records was given as 50 Bernard Street, St Albans. She died in December 1918 and was buried on 17 December 1918 at Essendon, Herts.
Wartime Service
John enlisted in Hertford and served with the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. The Battalion arrived in Folkestone on 26 July 1915, and boarded the SS Onward arriving at Boulogne, France, later the same day.
John was killed in action on 3 May 1917 during the Second Battle of Arras. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a pension of 12s 6d a week from 16 March 1918 but died in December 1918. A war gratuity of £12 and pay owing of £4 11s 8d was divided between his sister Jane and the children of sisters Emily and Louisa who both predeceased him.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Gareth Hughes, Sue and Colin Rees, Stuart Osborne
