John GeorgeWASSThe Wass family and Anneliese Neumann are sad to announce the passing of our beloved father, grandfather, great grandfather and partner on the 14th May 2025 at 101 years old.
A service of remembrance will be held on Thursday 5th June 2025 at Mansfield Crematorium in the Newstead Chapel at 10 am.
In lieu of flowers a donation to Prostate Cancer UK would be greatly appreciated.
Please wear bright colours as we want to have a celebration of his life.
John was born on Christmas Day 1923 and grew up in Hucknall. He joined the Royal Navy in 1942 as a Telegraph operator and coder on a Destroyer. During WW2 he took part in 16 Arctic convoys, the most memorable being on Christmas 1943, when his ship took part in the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst which had approximately 2,000 men on board of which only 36 were rescued, 30 of them by his ship. He did not know it at the time, but 50 years later, many of the rescued became firm friends.
After the war, John married Nita, and they had 3 children. They spent most of their 48 years together in the village of Gonalston until her death, due to cancer, in 1997. He started his own machine tool company Maydown, which he remained Managing Director of until he retired in 1993. His other passions were for rare breed Red Poll cows, which he bred for many years and he was an active member of the Papplewick & Linby British Legion. After he retired, he continued to live a full and active life and was proud to see his grandchildren and great grandchildren grow & flourish.
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