MCKENNA, Francis Felix

(Shown as Thomas Felix on 1919 electoral roll)  ă (Shown in list of Servicemen in DT 2/1/1915 as in Oxfordshire Yeomanry). (DC 25/9/1917; shown as F F McKenna of Roslyn Crescent, Hathersage, who, before the war worked for a Sheffield business, then enlisted as a Private at outbreak of war. Later commissioned. Capt 31 Div York & Lancs. Badly wounded, broke his shoulder, thigh and lost a finger. Later in R A F).  b 1891 Willington, Derbyshire. 1911C living at Nuneaton, an agent for a company. Address on 1918 absent voters list and 1919 Electoral register as Roslyn Road, Hathersage.

McCALL, Thomas Hardy

Capt 8 Bn West Yorks (Leeds Rifles) and was twice wounded. He lived at ‘Eastwood’, opposite Hathersage Church, where the Rifle Club met between the war years. He was successful in raising a large number of recruits for a Sherwood Foresters unit in during March 1939, before he served in WW2, 92248 Major 215 Bn Sherwood Foresters, when he was the first Hathersage man killed in WW2 during the evacuation of Dunkirk on 27/5/1940, although it was only later that year his death was confirmed.  b Feb 1894 Haddington Burgh, East Lothian, Scotland. 1901C the family is in Gloucestershire. His father was Hardy Bertram McCall (an author whose books are still in print). 1911C at school, in Richmond, Yorks, listed as Hardy McCall. Family firm was McCalls Reinforcements, Sheffield.

MASSEY, John

ă In August 1917 he was 410028 Sgt., R.A.M.C. 69 General Hospital, based in Palestine. He was later at Hathersage Red Cross Hospital and he subsequently became a cadet in the R.A.F., until finally transferred and commissioned 2/Lt in the Dorsetshire Regt.  b 1892 at Rochdale. 1911C in Sheffield, a chemist’s assistant. 1918 absent voters lists him at the Red Cross Hospital, Hathersage, and then his address on his Medals Roll in 1920 was given as ‘Belmont’, (Jaggers Lane), Hathersage. However by the end of 1921 his address was 14 Bishopholme Road, Sheffield.

MASON, George Lingly

 125098 Pte Y & L  L/Cpl 8 /10 & 1/4  Bn York and Lancs. (SDT 12/7/1916; listed as Gnr Mason, R.F.A., wounded and is in hospital.) (DC 27/10/1917; Lewis Gun Section, wounded in the leg by shrapnel and in Base Hospital in France). b 1898 Hathersage, son of Thomas & Lilly Mason. 1911C lived at Main Road, Hathersage.

MARSDEN, Edwin

✟ Щ 1911C Pte 2 Bn East Yorks Regt in India. 17502 Cpl 2/17 Field Coy R.E., a regular soldier, Edwin was the inventor of the improved trestle bridge building, accepted by the War Office and known as the ‘Marsden Band Trestle’. K.I.A. 23/8/1914. Grave; Hautrage Military Cemetery, Belgium, Ref; 1-D-12. News has reached Sheffield of the death in action of Corporal Edwin Marsden R.E. In a letter conveying the news of his death, Major C. W. Singer, commanding the 17 Company, R.E. paid a tribute to his heroism. “It will be a gratification to you”, he writes to Corporal Marsden’s father, “to know that he died as he had lived, as a brave soldier and a gentleman. He had just performed a most gallant deed in volunteering to blow up a bridge under very heavy fire, which he did unscathed, shortly afterwards he was hit on the head by a shrapnel bullet and expired instantaneously, without any pain…  Personally I feel I have lost a friend and a gallant comrade.”  There was a photo of him in DC 12/12/1914. Parents endowed a bed in his memory at Hathersage Red Cross Hospital. (DC 27/2/1915; mentioned in despatches by Sir John French, who said, “He had been in the Army upwards of six years and was frequently commended by his Officers for courage. During the early days of the war it was necessary that a bridge near Mons should be blown up, and as the enemy was in a strong force, the task was of extreme danger. Corporal Marsden was one of the men who undertook the work, which was carried through successfully’).  b c1886 Sheffield. 1901C at Worksop College age 14, a boarder. He was at this school for 12 months and left in 1901.His family only lived in Hathersage a short time at “The Booths“. (Rev M Hulbert’s notes gave his address as Birley Farm, but his address in the list of people mentioned in by Sir John French, was ‘Hillcrest’ i.e., Sheffield Road, which could be deemed “Booths”?) His parents Arthur Edwin & Sarah Marsden moved to ‘Stanmore’, Heatherfield, Totley, his father being an ivory dealer/ cutter.

MAINPRICE, Humphrey

Capt 3rd Kings Royal Rifle Regiment. Gazetted 12/11/ 1914. b c1882 Ashley Heath Cheshire. 1911C in Newquay, Cornwall, a private tutor. Played cricket for Cambridge University & Gloucestershire before the war. His Marriage certificate Oct 1914 lists occupation as soldier so he was already serving then. He was living at Hillside, Hathersage by the 1921 census, (from his medal list, his previous address was his London club). Shown as living at Park Edge, Hathersage in 1932 Kelly’s Directory, but he seemed to have left the village mid 1930’s and moved to Youlgreave. His wife Dorothy (born in Australia) was very big in the local Girl Guide Association.