227782 Gnr. Stanley Mostyn Mathias 48th Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery from:35,Cranliegh Road,South Tottenham, London (d.25th December 1914) Stanley Mathias volunteered for the Army in August 1914. After his initial training as a gunner he joined the 48th Heavy Battery in France. In December 1915 he was stationed at Mont St Eloi, Le Basset.
His team mates were:
- Bert Dolly and
- Joseph Anderson.
At Mont St Eloi most of the movement and maintenance of equipment and guns took place at night owing to the accuracy of sniper activity during the daylight hours. On Christmas Day 1915 Stan and Joseph went to a barn to catch up on their sleep; later in the morning a German bombardment began and Bert Dolly left the cellar he was sheltering in and ran to the barn to waken his mates. He arrived at the same time as a shell that hit the barn and all three men were mortally wounded. They were taken to Louvencourt Field Hospital where Stan and Bert died Christmas Day and Joseph died 2days later.
All three are buried in Louvencourt Cemetary: Grave24:Herbert Dolly; Grave 25: Stanley Mathias; Grave 26: Joseph Anderson.
They served together in life and lie together in death.
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