Peter John Ernest Mason, Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Peter Mason, the son of Ernest and Alexina Mason, was born in 1922. At the time of his birth, his parents were residing in Edmonton, London.
Ernest Mason had been born in Melbourne, Australia in 1894. He was the son of Samuel Mason.
By 1901, Samuel Mason, Peter Mason’s grandfather, had returned to England and was living with his family in Walthamstow, London. Samuel Mason was described in the 1911 census as a dealer and as an employer.
By 1911, Peter Mason’s grandfather had died. His widow, Louisa, with her three children, was now living in Hornsey, London. Ernest Mason, aged 16, was working as an “apprentice wholesale drapery”.
In 1921, Peter Mason’s father, Ernest, married Alexina Kate MacDonald whose deceased father had worked in the police force. Within a year, Peter was born.
The 1939 England and Wales Register states that Peter Mason’s father and mother, Ernest and Alexina were living in Hornchurch, Essex with Peter Mason’s much younger brother, Keith. Peter’s father, at the time, was a manufacturing agent of textiles.
Above photo: Hornchurch, Essex (1)
In the 1939 register, just below Peter Mason’s mother’s records and above his younger brother's records, is a row that has been blacked out. It states “This record is officially closed”. One can only assume that this blacked out record refers to Peter Mason. It’s baffling that his brother’s registration is accessible but not Peter’s as Keith was born eight years later. In February 2004, regarding the 1939 Register, the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Council on National Records and Archives considered and accepted a proposal for the use of a standard closure period - individuals’ records remain closed for 100 years from their date of birth or until proof of death.
Peter Mason was born more than 100 years ago (1921) and is known to have died. It’s possible that Peter could have enlisted by 29th September 1939 - the day the register was compiled. If that was the case, registration of members of the armed forces was dealt with by the military authorities so the 1939 Register does not include service personnel in military, naval and air force establishments. Nor does it include members of the armed forces billeted in private homes, including their own homes. In theory, if Peter Mason was in the armed forces on 29th September, 1939, his record would not have been registered and therefore, quid pro quo, could not have been blacked out unless it was realised later that his registration was an error and had to be amended. Still, it raises the question of why his record is still blacked out given the length of time that has expired since his birth and the fact that his death has been proven.
Peter Mason joined The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
“The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U. K. Royal Air Force in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, the active reserve for the RAF, by providing an additional non-active reserve. However, during the Second World War the high demand for aircrew absorbed all available Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel and led the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve to quickly become the main pathway of aircrew entry into the RAF.
It was initially composed of civilians recruited from neighbourhood reserve flying schools, run by civilian contractors with largely RAF-trained flying instructors as well as other instructors in related air war functions, such as observers and wireless operators.
When war was declared “the risk of Luftwaffe attack on training bases in Great Britain coupled with the urgent need for larger numbers of well-trained aircrew than the pre-war systems could produce brought about the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.” (Wikipedia)
“This was often referred to as “The Plan”. “It was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand during the Second World War.” (Wikipedia)
“On completion of basic military training aircrew candidates would wear a white flash on the front of their service issue "side caps" denoting their "aircrew under training" status. No matter where they originated in Britain or the Commonwealth, they could be shipped to the next available training course in any of those nations where pilots were trained to fly at "Elementary Flying Training Schools" and the other aircrew trades attended appropriate trade schools such as "Air Navigation Schools" or "Bombing and Gunnery Schools.
Following completion of training, at a graduation ceremony aircrew were presented with their aircrew brevet (flying badge) and either handed their sergeant's stripes or commissioned as officers.” (Wikipedia)
Above photo: Flight Sergeant Rank chevrons (stripes) as awarded to Peter Mason (Wikimedia)
From an internet forum there is a suggestion that by 1942 Peter Mason was residing in Weobley, his military base being at RAF Shobdon. (2)
Pembridge Landing Ground, began as a grass strip airfield and was home to an anti-aircraft co-operation unit.
By May 1942, the landing ground had been upgraded with a triple width runway and buildings and was renamed Shobdon Airfield.
“RAF Shobdon was opened in 1942 as No.5 Glider Training School. Over the next three years, a record 96,000 glider launches were made from the airfield.
The glider pilots trained on the Hotspur glider and then went on to train on the much larger Horsa and Hamilcar gliders and the American Waco CG-4A.
Above photo: Airspeed Horsa being towed (Wikipedia)
The pilots took part in operations in Norway, Sicily, D-Day, Arnhem and the crossing of the River Rhine into Germany. They also flew glider support operations for the Chindits in the Far East.”(3)
Above photo: Troops seated in a Horsa, prior to take-off (Wikipedia)
“The school (Shobdon) holds the record for the greatest number of day and night glider training missions, with 96,925 separate glider launches up to 1945.” (4)
Peter Mason’s role as a trainee pilot and then a qualified pilot, flying an M.19 Master II airplane, would be to tow the trainee glider pilots up to the correct altitude and then release the gliders for the pilots of the gliders to make their own landings.
It is likely that, had he lived, he would have seen active service at a later stage.
Above photo: M.19 Master II (5)
“Typical service use of the Master primarily revolved around (Pilot) Advanced Flying Units, where they were used for training aircrew in preparation for service with front line squadrons. Amongst other parts of the training syllabus, pilots would often be first exposed to fighter tactics while flying the aircraft. By 1942, advertisements claimed that the Master was being flown by every RAF fighter pilot-in-training.
Above photo: M. 19 Master II (Wikipedia)
Several hundred Master IIs were either delivered in, or subsequently converted to, a configuration that allowed their use in the glider-towing role. Such aircraft would have the lower portion of their rudder cut away to allow fitting of a towing hook. Starting in 1942, Miles Masters were extensively used as tugs for General Aircraft Hotspur gliders at various Glider Training Schools. Examples were also operated by multiple Anti-aircraft Co-operation Units of the RAF as a liaison aircraft with British Army units.” (Wikipedia)
On January 3rd, 1942, Peter Mason took off at Shobdon Airfield in an M.19 Master II. According to “WWII Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour 1939-1945", his M.19 Master II airplane “spun into the ground at Shobdon, Hereford soon after releasing a glider during a towing exercise, cause unknown”. He was 19 years old.
Peter Mason is buried at St Mary Church, Pembridge.
Above photo: Peter Mason’s headstone and grave (Lee Oxenham, CWGC)
Upon his headstone is inscribed “IN UNFADING MEMORY OF PETER ONE OF MANY WHO WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN”
Also, he is commemorated at Shobdon Airfield, Herefordshire.
(6)
Rory MacColl
Sources
1/ https://chalkstreet.co.uk/havering-history-hornchurch-time/
3/ https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/14612791.lasting-tribute-to-be-paid-to-pilots-and-instructors-who-served-at-shobdon-during-second-world-war/
4/ https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/19873179.pictures-show-80-years-herefordshires-shobdon-airfield/
5/ https://museumofberkshireaviation.co.uk/html/gallery/m19.htm
6/ https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/72615 © Bob Walters WMR-72615, IWM