Henry Maurice Mason was born on 30 September 1921 in Waipawa, New Zealand.

He joined No. 486 Sqn from OTU as a Flying Officer in January 1944. On 27 April he did a wheels-up landing at Castle Camps in SA-H (JN792) after engine failure. Mason was ok but JN792 was scrapped. Then there was a summer of actions against V-1s.

He was briefly posted to No. 197 Sqn on Typhoons before becoming a commanding officer of No. 183 Sqn in January 1945. He then received further rapid promotion in February, being appointed Wing Leader of 135 Wing, back on Tempests. He was awarded a DFC, gazetted on 14 September 1945.

Returning to New Zealand after the war, unable to settle back into his previous life as a mechanic, and returned to the UK to join the RAF. On 19 July 1948, returning from France in a Vampire after taking part in the Bastille Day celebrations, he and his aircraft disappeared and he was listed as missing, believed killed in a flying accident.

 

Mason's victories in Tempest

Date of Claim Type Claimed Aircraft Serial No. Location of Claim Unit Note
4 July 1944 V-1 SA-E (JN805) S Rye 486 Sqn  
4 July 1944 1/2 x V-1 SA-M (JN809) S Hastings 486 Sqn  
7 July 1944 V-1 SA-I (JN732) SW West Maling 486 Sqn  
13 July 1944 V-1 SA-I (JN732) Tenterden 486 Sqn  
13 July 1944 V-1 SA-I (JN732) Bexhill 486 Sqn  
14 July 1944 1/2 x V-1 SA-I (JN732)  Bexhill 486 Sqn  
5 Aug 1944 V-1 SA-L (JN801) 7-8m S Newchurch 486 Sqn  
24 Feb 1945 Fw190 NV933 OG Plantlünne 135Wg Damaged
11 April 1945 E/A nk Fassburg 135Wg  

 

Sources:
Aces High Vol. 2 by Christopher Shores
The Typhoon and Tempest Story by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas
2nd TAF Vol. 3 by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas

 



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