Robert had been born in Hong Kong, his mother's home, and where she had met his father, who was serving as a policeman. They returned to the UK in 1929.
In 1946 he married Ella May M Clapham. They subsequently divorced and he married again in 1960 to Dorothy May Garrett.
In 1949, his brother, Victor Douglas Maskell, was killed aboard HMS Amethyst on 20 Apr, while serving as a stoker mechanic, one of 22 crewmen killed when the ship came under fire from the People's Liberation Army while sailing in the Yangtze river.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hellesdon Patrol | Patrol Leader | Unknown | 31 Jan 1944 |
His identity card number suggests that he had been called up, as would be expected for his age, but returned to civilian life. This might be the result of his role in Auxiliary Units, or else his civilian occupation.
He was returned to the Home Guard 31st January 1944
TNA ref WO199/3389
Kiel Almond
Ancestry UK
Liverpool Daily Post, 30 Apr 1949