Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part III)

A fine Second World War two-tour Rear-Gunner’s D.F.M. group of five awarded to Flight Sergeant S. T. Mason, Royal Air Force
Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1333284 F./Sgt. S. T. Mason, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, these last four inscribed “Boots’ style”, ‘1333284 F./Sgt. S. T. Mason, 460 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron’, extremely fine (5) £1200-1500

D.F.M. London Gazette 15 August 1944. The original recommendation states:
‘Flight Sergeant Mason has a long and fine record of operations. He has now completed 58 sorties and has been operating since June 1942. As a Rear-Gunner in Wellingtons, he has completed 45 sorties without any rest. Tobruk, the most heavily defended target in the Middle East has been attacked by him on no more than 20 occasions and he also operated against Crete and the Dodecanese. Flight Sergeant Mason is now Rear-Gunner in a Lancaster aircraft and has completed 13 operations in fine fashion, having taken part in two attacks on Berlin. Both in the Middle East and European operations, he has shown high courage and great coolness under fire and throughout this entire period he has displayed a keenness and undiminished desire to engage the enemy. His experience and determination has been an inspiration to his crew and the Gunners with whom he has come in contact. In view of such proved devotion to duty, I strongly recommend him for the award of the D.F.M.’

Sydney Thomas Mason had flown nearly 400 hours on operations by the time of being recommended for his D.F.M. in November 1943, by which stage he was serving in No. 460 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron, a Lancaster unit based at Binbrook, Lincolnshire.