h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello Peter, remember me?
I have just received my dads army records!!! Either my dad got it wrong or the records have ( i believe the records are correct! ) So we are a year too soon for PO Gardiner. On the morning of the 7th of Aug 1941 a spitfire while attempting a landing near Deal, hit a line of scaffolding and touched ground inside a landmine field. one mine was set off by the impact of the plane. the pilot could not move from the cockpit owing to injuries sustained from the impact.That is when dad and Sargent Chick with others came to the rescue. Please can you help! I know you are busy but...
I no longer have the spitfire book its back in the libary and im snowed under with doing reports for work.
it would be most appriciated if you could look through your books.
in anticipation, Tricia cowell.

Hi Tricia

So good to hear from you again. Having a date makes it much easier. I was able to consult "Fighter Command Losses 1939-1941" and find it listed amongst fifteen other fighter losses on that date.

On 7 August 1941 (pm) a Mark V Spitfire, R7161, of 92 Fighter Squadron (Biggin Hill) on escort duty, piloted by Sgt G.P. Hickman, crash-landed near Deal; the pilot was injured.

Peter

Tricia

Further to my last message, it seems that Sgt G.P. Hickman's injuries were not serious. He was soon back in action. On 20 September 1941 he was on a sweep (a 'sweep' is a general term for a fighter operating over enemy territory, with or without bombers) in a Mk Vb Spitfire, W3179. He was shot down but survived and became a prisoner of war.

Peter

Hi Peter,On the citation it says the plane forcelanded in the morning not afternoon.The impact set off a mine which set the wingtips alight,the pilot could not move owing to injuries sustained.they had to release him and carry him out of the minefield and the plane blew up,if this pilot was only slightly injured, something tells me it was not him.Also it does says it was a spitfire.

Tricia

"Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War. Volume 1 Operational Losses: Aircraft and Crews 1939-1941" by Norman L.R. Franks (Midland Publishing, 1997) lists it as P.M., that is any time after noon. But it could have happened earlier.

STOP PRESS
I shall leave what I have written above, to show my thinking. BUT I have just found this entry. It is the last entry for the day, after some listed as 'evening' (that's my excuse ).

I think this is it!!

Spitfire Mk Vb, W3523, of 611 Fighter Squadron (Hornchurch): Circus 67. Shot-up by Me 109 over France, force-landed near Deal and hit a mine, badly injuring the pilot, Sgt G. A. Mason; aircraft written off.

(A 'circus' is RAF jargon for a group of bombers heavily escorted by fighters to bring the enemy fighters into combat)

Dear Peter,i think that is it!!!
you are a treasure,as i have said before i could not have worked it out without you,thankyou!!!!!! now to find out about Sgt Mason.i have been around the web so many times i have forgotten what is where.May i pester you another time about abbreviations on dad's records? its all gobbaldy- gook, to me.I wish i could have taken dad to normandy this weekend but alas, our thoughts and best wishes go out to all

Tricia

Yes, of course, just post up the abbreviations and either I or, I'm sure, someone else will help.

The abbreviations used on records are one thing, but the Records site should provide an explanation of them. Sending out gobbledegook is a disgrace.

Hi, Peter,i am burning the midnight oil,its too hot to sleep.Please can you tell me what (transfered to A.A.C) means, also,( meitd ), ( x(1v)a) and ( DSAF),
Dad says half of where he went is not on records,they have even got his date of birth wrong.D day they have him in telaviv,but he was in a glider with 6 airbourne, 8th batallion, c company.i must admit after all this time waiting for the records i am a bit disapointed.
never mind i will get there in the end.Best wishes Tricia.

Tricia

The A.C.C. is the Army Air Corps; it's forces comprised the Parachute Regiment and the Glider Pilot Regiment

As for the rest, could you put the abbreviations in context by giving the whole sentence or paragraph in which they appear?

It's an absolute disgrace sending out meaningless jargon and abbreviations like these.

Peter

HI Peter,thankyou.
you telling me what AAC means has made a little more sense.
ok whole sentance: (no of part 2 order)17/9.5.44
( Unit) MEITD
(record) posted to RASC B/D X(1V)a
(place of casulty) ME (date) 1.5.44
i know ME is middle east.

Peter,With your knowledge and my pestering,the pilot dad saved is found.He is alive and well living in Salisbury.His son was looking for info about his dad and grandad,and found a message i had left on Manston air museum.I received an E.Mail from Barbados!!!David his name, had been brought up on the story.I have phoned Air Commador G A Manson today,and he confimed it.He told me he cannot remember anything because he was in a bad way and delerious,but was told later that he was saved by Sgt Chick and a soldier.(my dad)Mr Manson wants to shake my dads hand for saving his life ,and i am arranging to take dad to meet him.Dad is so pleased we found him. Peter,i must say, it was never realy about the medal,dad just wanted to know who he was and if he survived,and thanks to you we now know.bless you and thankyou againTricia

Tricia

This is wonderful news. I am so pleased for you, your dad, and Mr Manson and his son. A truly satisfactory ending to a long search. Now you must retell the story from start to finish, it deserves a prominent place on this website

Peter

Hello Tricia,

I have just read the entire thread of your and Peter's search for this pilot - a fascinating read and I am so pleased that you found the answers you were looking for!

I just wanted to agree with Peter that you should write up both the story of your father's bravery AND the story of your search for this pilot for the website, I think it will make great reading.

Btw you may be interested in this link, it shows you how to make any kind of smiley you could possibly imagine:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/C858


Best wishes,
Deborah

Dear Deborah,Thankyou for your interest. I have had a great time on the smiley link,dont you just love them (well i do) I am sitting here with a blank mind so a is in order.Researching is one thing,writing a story is another.
best wishes Tricia

Hi Tricia,

Glad you enjoyed the smileys

A blank mind is the best place to start when writing a story! A drink will help too, sometimes...

Or have a look at the Writing Tips page here http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/Writing-tips

Hope that helps to get you started... your story is, as Peter says, deserving of a star place on the site.

Best wishes
Deborah

Hi Tricia,

Just noticed that you DID write up the story - great stuff! Lovely picture of your dad too. Don't worry about spelling mistakes, I will edit it all soon...

Do come back and tell us about the meeting between the two veterans (and don't forget to take your camera!)


Deborah

Hi Tricia and Deborah,

Just a brief confirmation from the 'son' in question. My father was Sergeant George Anthony Mason, of 611 Squadron, and the pilot of the Spitfire in question. As Tricia has already noted in her account, I was brought up on a few scant stories of my father's wartime activities, and the 'Minefield' story was a clear favorite. The telling was a little richer, and probably involved a little 'enhancement' over the years, but nonetheless it would appear it stayed pretty faithful to the facts, such as they are known.

Another story that can be read is chapter 5 of the book, 'Famous Air-Sea Rescues'. In this account my father is fished out of the English Channel off Dieppe by a Belgian pilot, Michel ( Mike ) Donnet, who later became the head of the Belgian Air Force. Due to deteriorating weather and the German gun batteries at Dieppe, within whose range the amphibious rescue aircraft had landed, the two had to 'taxy' about on the surface for quite a while before being able to take off again. It seems that my dear old Dad made it a major part of his war effort to provide other heroic young men with an opportunity to earn a 'gong' or two !

I do have a few photographs of my Dad taken at the time, and would be happy to see one attached to the story. I sent a couple to Tricia already, but it appears that only one photo is allowed per story. Could an exception be made in this case, to allow the other main participant in this tale to be seen ? Either Tricia, or I, could supply the photo.

Just for the record my father's correct name and title at retirement ( 1976 )are as follows :

Air Commodore G.A.Mason, DFC, RAF, Ret'd.

Many thanks to all involved in this site, and, of course, especially to Tricia's Dad, without whose gallantry I, for one, would not be here to write this message !

David

Hi David
With ref to 'only picture only per story'.
If the site are unable/unwilling/just too mealy mouthed to let you put attach both pictures may I suggest the following remedy.
'Stitch' two photos alongside each other (there are loads of different ways of doing this) and use the caption to clarify who is who.
Have a look at my (A2025028) to see how this could be done or ask me for more specific details.
Alternatively, Peter will be able to give you chapter and verse.
Best wishes
Ron

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the tips. I didn't really want to 'muscle-in' on this story, Tricia has done such a good job, and the story itself is about her Dad and mine. I think that I will leave it to Tricia whether to go ahead and modify the photo format.

I would just like to add a special 'Thank you' to Peter, without whose research efforts we probably wouldn't have been able to put together all of the elements. I am sure that there are many people such as Tricia and myself who really appreciate the dedication of the historical researchers, like Peter and Ron, who help to keep the memory of those outstanding individuals alive. The whole ghastly business of war always seems to be about politics and power, but the truth is that the real stories are about the acts of the individual participants, in which we seem to show both our worst and our very best 'human' characteristics.

On that front, as Tricia wrote, I was trying to research my Grandfather's life and death ( in Aden in 1922 ). His name was Eric Mason, and he survived WW I as an RFC and later RAF pilot, an improbable feat, statistically speaking. He was sent to Turkey during the Chanak crisis, and the last photographs we have of him were taken there, and on the ship which transferred him, and his squadron, to Aden ( Yemen ). He was killed shortly after arrival in what seemed to be more of an accident, than actual combat, although he did go down at the controls of his Sopwith Snipe.

If anyone can point me at any reports or other information that would allow me to fill in the missing details of my Grandfather's last days I would very much appreciate it. I understood from my Grandmother, while she was still alive, that she did visit his grave in Aden a while after his death, but the War Graves Commission does not seem to have any record of such an interrment in Aden.

I realise that this is not directly WW II related, but I really would be grateful if any help were to be available ?

David

Hello David,Thankyou so much,I am so pleased you wrote in,I am keeping my fingers crossed that someone can help, concerning your grandfather.I will E- mail you. Now to try and sort these pictures out. PETER PETER Where are you??? HEEEELP!