2798, John Edward Lascelles
4th Lincolns
From: Dave Lascelles
28 September 2009
I wondered whether you would be interested in the following: My grandfather was John Edward Lascelles, service number 2798, and he served with the 4th Lincolns during WW1. The family still has his army diary, which gives several interesting accounts of happenings in the trenches. Perhaps the most notable was on Tuesday 1st June 1915, when his officer (Lieutenant Charles Ellwood) was shot and killed as he stood next to my grandfather, he being the last person the Lieutenant spoke to. He was on the firing party a few days later - at the Lieutenant's funeral. I have been in contact with the family of Lt. Ellwood, and the gentleman who I spoke to was very interested, and said that my information confirmed what the historian (at Mareham le Fen) had written of wartime events of soldiers from that village. There were letters of this sent to the Lincolnshire Echo of the event at the time.
I enclose a couple of photographs which might be of interest, including a page from his notebook (there are several, mentions of being on the "listening post - 20 yards from the Germans", also of gas (Ypres) etc.; a photo of him (aged 19) and one of him (standing on the right) and six collegues, names unknown to me; and his capbadge and 'Lincoln's Gratitude' medallion (I still have them). The transcript is of the first of three, which I typed out from the entries in his diary. If you wished to see any more (or the diary pages) I could email them. In any event, I hope you find some of this of interest.
Yours Sincerely, Dave Lascelles (Mablethorpe)
- Hover over picture to read caption
- Click each image to enlarge
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Further research into the National Archives revealed that 'Pop' (granddad) either during 1917 or shortly afterwards, transferred to the Labour Corps which later became the Royal Pioneer Corps. He attained the rank of corporal, and his number was 19817. This would explain why "Cpl. Lascelles" is written in the wallet. [Dave Lascelles, December 2009]
