Ernest Mason

Ernest Mason DFC (29 July 1913 – 15 February 1942) was a British flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

He was credited with at least fifteen aerial victories.

Ernest Mitchelson Mason was born in Darlington, in County Durham, the United Kingdom, on 29 July 1913, the son of E. Mason and his wife Teresa, who were from Blackpool.

Mason went to school at Blackpool Grammar and was musically minded, playing the saxophone.

He was also interested in engineering and mechanics and acquired a motorcycle when he was 14.

The following year he began participating in dirt track racing.

Born in Darlington, Mason joined the RAF in 1938.

At the start of the Second World War, he was serving with No. 80 Squadron in Egypt but saw little action with this unit.

He joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) on a short service commission in March 1938.

Commissioned as an acting pilot officer on 7 March 1938, Mason underwent training at No. 4 Flying Training School in Egypt.

He was confirmed as pilot officer on 7 March 1939.

He was initially posted to a bomber squadron but subsequently arranged a transfer to No. 80 Squadron, a unit of Fighter Command, by the time of the outbreak of the Second World War.

No. 80 Squadron, equipped with Gloster Gladiator bi-plane fighters, was based at Ismailia in Egypt and tasked with the defence of the Suez Canal for the initial months of the Second World War.

In August 1940, his flight formed the basis of No. 274 Squadron and he flew extensively during the Libyan campaign later in the year and into early 1942.

During this time, he achieved the majority of his aerial victories.

From March to April he flew with No. 261 Squadron from Malta as part of the island's defensive fighter force.

He was injured on 13 April when he crash landed his Hawker Hurricane fighter into the sea after it was damaged during a dogfight.

Appointed commander of No. 261 Squadron he led it during the Allied occupation of Iran.

He subsequently commanded No. 94 Squadron and was killed during its first sortie with P-40 Kittyhawk fighters.

It was not until after Italy entered the conflict in June 1940 that the squadron began to be involved in aerial engagements.

However, Mason himself did not see action although he was part of the squadron's 'A' Flight that began to receive the Hawker Hurricane fighter and in August this formed the basis of No. 274 Squadron.

Mason was promoted to flying officer early the following month.

During Operation Compass, the British offensive against Italian forces in Egypt and Libya, No. 274 Squadron was regularly in action, carrying out patrols over and in front of the advancing troops.

On 9 December 1940, the opening day of the offensive, Mason achieved his first aerial victories, one of five pilots sharing in the destruction of two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 medium bombers and damaging of three others in the Sidi Barrani area.

Later in the day he flew another sortie, engaging and damaging a Fiat CR.42 fighter.

Two day later he destroyed a CR.42 over Sidi Barrani and then on 15 December, shot down a SM.79 in around the Bardia-Sollum area.

He destroyed another CR.42 on 16 December over Bardia although military aviation historians Christopher Shores and Clive Williams suggest that this may have been officially recorded as being a probable.

On 22 December, Mason shot down a SM.79 to the west of Fort Capuzzo and also damaged another of the same type.

The next day he destroyed a Caproni Ca.310, a twin-engined reconnaissance aircraft over El Gubbi.

By this stage of the campaign, the squadron was also involved in making ground attacks on Italian troops and carrying bomber escort missions.

During January 1941, Mason regularly carried out intruder sorties into Italian-held territory in Libya, targeting airfields of the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force).

On these often successful sorties, he was typically only accompanied by one pilot.

He destroyed a pair of CR.42s over Gambut on 3 January.

He and his fellow pilot strafed an airfield at Gazala on 8 January, and between the two of them shared in destroying thirteen SM.79s.

The following day, on a sortie to Martuba, he shot down a CR.42.

He also caught and destroyed a Fiat CR.32 fighter on the ground.

On 10 January he destroyed a SM.79 over Derna and damaged a Fiat G.50 fighter.

On 26 January Mason shot down three CR.42s to the west of Martuba.

These successes were followed four days later with another CR.42 destroyed, this time over Benina Airfield.

The following month the squadron returned to Egypt for a period of rest.