FRANK HENRY MASON
Seaton
Carew, Durham 1876 – 1965
Frank
Mason’s early career, before he became a marine artist, was as a seaman, engineer and shipbuilder. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1900.
During
the First World War Mason served as a lieutenant
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the
North Sea and in Egypt. In the latter part
of 1915 he commanded the Motor Launch 33
in the Suez Canal zone.
The
Collier Transport “River Clyde” landing troops
at V Beach, Sedd-el-Bahr, in the Dardanelles,
25th April, 1915
175 x 301 mm
Drypoint. Signed in pencil.
With the original label.
Sold
Irish
troops and Hampshire Regiment landing under
intense fire, at the start of the Gallipoli
campaign.
The
Allies landed on the Gallipoli peninsular
on 25-26 April, 1915; the 29th Division at
Cape Helles and Sedd-el-Bahrin on the tip
in the south and the Australian & New Zealand Corps at Ari Burnu, further to the north.
The
29th division landed troops at five small
coves, designated as ‘S’, ‘V’, ‘W’, ‘X’ and ‘Y’ beaches.
The landing at ‘V’ beach was made by boats containing three companies of the 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers, followed by the collier ‘River Clyde’ with the rest of the Dubliners, the 1st Royal Munster Fusiliers, half of the 2nd Hampshire Regiment and other troops. The beaches proved to be strongly fortified and casualties were very heavy.
Sedd
el Bar is mentioned in an Irish ballad The
Foggy Dew, written by the Canon Charles O’Neill in 1919. The lyrics chronicle the Easter Uprising of 1916 and praise the Irishmen who supported the Irish cause rather than fighting with the British in the First World War
‘Twas better to die ‘neath
an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud el
Bar.
.
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