This is a transcript of a typewritten account of the last sighting of Captain Mansel and Lieutenant Mann:
On 21st December 1914 the 7th Dragoon Guards had an order to take a trench. D. Sqd. under Captain Mansel, took his particular sector as ordered, then gave an order to me, to bring my troop and follow him, and take a machine gun which was enfilading us from a connection trench, a little to our left; on arriving a few yards from our objective, Captain Mansel was wounded. I looked round and found there was only one man with me, Pte. Moore. He and I carried him back to the German trench we had just previously taken, and greatly to my surprise we found our men had retired, and the trench was empty. I then found I had rested Captain Mansel’s head on the legs of Colonel Lempriere who was dead. I then attended to Captain Mansel's wound, and found he had been hit just under the last rib on the right side, should imagine clear of the liver, and not fatal. I then heard some firing a little to my left. I picked up a rifle and went towards the sound, and found Lieutenant Mann who was firing at some Germans coming down a communication trench. He told me to give him a hand, and eventually the Germans retired. I then asked Lieut. Mann if he would assist me in carrying Captain Mansel back to our own lines; he consented at once; we told Pte Moore to keep a good look and cover us, and to proceed in front. Lieut. Mann got hold of Capt. Mansel's legs and I his shoulders; we got him safely out of the trench, and proceeded on our way. We had gone about 30 yards when Lieut. Mann was wounded, and I a minor wound in the head. Pte. Moore and I again carried Capt. Mansel back to the same sector of the German trench we had just previously left as the fire was rather heavy. I then went out and brought Lieut. Mann to the edge and top of the trench, but about 30 yards further down, but unfortunately he was hit again in the leg. I built a parapet of bodies to protect him from the firing, and then dressed his wounds. He was hit in the back, clear of the spine, but may have penetrated his lungs, he bled very freely, the leg was only a flesh wound. I then went back to Captain Mansel and rearranged his dressing; he was anxious about Lieut. Mann who kept continually calling for me, in fact Capt. Mansel didn't consider himself at all; his one thought was of Lieut. Mann, and he sent me back to look after him. At times Lieut. Mann was a little light-headed, then again would become normal, and complained of great pain. After Lieut. Mann became a little calmer I returned to Capt. Mansel; just then Sergt. Snelling came and looked over into the trench; he and Pte. Moore then made for our own lines, so I was left alone with the two officers; it was then about twenty-five minutes to eight, and little later Pte. Wright of my Sqd., followed in a few minutes by Corpl. Cosgrave joined me. I then went towards Lieut. Mann with the intention of having a look round, and getting the officers behind a dead horse about 120 yards in front of the trench, and staying there under cover during the day; but unfortunately there were a large number of Germans coming down the trench towards me; they saw and flanked me, and I was placed hors-de-combat; they told me that Wright, Cosgrave and myself were to go to the German Headquarters at La Bassee. I asked them if we might take our officers; the reply was, No; the German ambulance would take them, and if we didn't go at once, we would be shot. Captain Mansel could see we had no alternative; we shook hands with the officers, bid them good-bye and left them; that is the last I saw of them but on proceeding through the German trenches I could see it would have been impossible to bring wounded through as it was up to your knees in mud and other things, also they had bored little tunnels about ten yards long in which only one man could proceed at a time, so thought perhaps they had another way in which they took their own wounded, and that they had taken the officers that way. The Germans who took us prisoners belonged to the 56 and 57 Prussian Infantry. That is all the information I can give about the above two officers.
(Signed)
G. NAYLOR, Sergt.,
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