Masterson, (Bertram) John

Bertram John Masterson (known as John) was born in Q4 of 1919 in Uckfield, East Sussex. His father, Albert James (1893-1989) also known as Jim, was a Major and had served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment during the First World War. His mother was Laura Annie Stevens (1893-1984). Bertram had one sister, Daphne, born in 1926 in Warwick. She married Harold G S Miller in Warwick in 1951.

Shipping records show that in August 1933, aged 13, John travelled alone to Port Said in Egypt returning to London six weeks later on 29th September.  His  nephew, Richard Miller, tells us that John would have been returning to his parents during the school holidays as his father (Richard’s grandfather) was at that time serving with 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment in Egypt.

John was educated at Rugby School, then the Royal Military Academy.

The 1939 register shows the family living at 23 Myton Crofts. The register has one name redacted, which we have been informed is  John’s sister, Daphne who is still alive today (2023).  John’s father, Jim, was listed as being stationed at the Infantry Training Centre at Warwick.  His nephew tells us that by 1939 Jim had retired but served again with the Warwickshire Regiment Territorial Army during WW2.  He ended up an Hon Colonel of one of the Royal Artillery searchlight batteries that started life as Royal Warwickshire. He was also a DL after the war.

John died of polio, of which there was a significant outbreak amongst the troops in Italy at that time but which was never made public.  He left his estate to his father and it has been confirmed that he was single.

John is buried in Bari Cemetery, Italy: