Operation: Training

Date: 31st January 1944 (Monday)

Unit: No. 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit

Type: Stirling III

Serial: EF232

Code: YW-J

Base: RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire

Location: Carlton-le-Moorland, Lincolnshire

Pilot: F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC. J/17624 RCAF Age 25. Injured

Pilot U/T: Fl/Sgt Stanley Edward Martin 1390977 RAFVR Age 21. Injured

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Roy Henry Appleton 1724254 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Fl/Eng U/T: Sgt. George Brown Lamb 1573789 RAFVR Age 20. Injured

Nav: W/O. James Bernard McNight 755362 RAFVR Age 25. Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. Harry George Trueman J/25122 RCAF Age 24. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Ronald Edward Duke 1383442 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harold Nelson 1896358 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Relatives would very much like contact with one another - all have a story to be told - whether they survived the war or not - many memorials and pages on the internet tell the stories of those who lost their lives - so many more exist for those who came through the war, their stories never told! The original crew of F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC went on to carry out further operations - some lost their lives at a later date, others survived. We are working on further pages to the crew of F/O. James Mason and his previous operations.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Swinderby in Lincolnshire on a night exercise, the crew, including pupil pilot and two flight engineers. At 21:32 hrs, soon after departing, the Stirling came down at Carlton-le-Moorland, 9 miles SSW from Lincoln.

The three injured airmen succumbed to their injuries on the following day.

We don’t have details as to the cause of the crash and welcome any new information.

Above Left: Fl/Sgt. John Robert Pollock, Fl/Sgt. Lenard Reginald Cook, P/O. W. Donald Tildsley, unknown, Bottom: F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC, Sgt. Fred Tweedale and Fl/Sgt. Norman Stott. Above Centre: F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC, Fl/Sgt. Lenard Reginald Cook and P/O. Don Tildsley. Above Right: unknown, Fl/Sgt. Norman Stott, Fl/Sgt. John Robert Pollock, Sgt. Fred Tweedale, Fl/Sgt. Lenard Reginald Cook - the two unknown are from another crew (courtesy Carol Black - daughter of Bob Pollock)

Notes on photographs: The crews shown are the original crew that flew with F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC whilst with 50 Squadron. Air Gunner Fl/Lt. John Robert Pollock DFM. MiD. survived the war - details to follow, Air Bomber Fl/Lt. Lenard Reginald Cook DFM survived the war, Flight Engineer P/O. W. Donald Tildsley MiD. survived the war, Pilot F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC - this page, Air Gunner Sgt. Fred Tweedale 1063624 RAFVR killed on the 04th October 1943 whilst with 50 Squadron - Lancaster I W4905 VN-H - further details follow, Navigator W/O. Norman Stott DFM. 1097284 RAFVR missing believed killed on the 21st March 1945 whilst with 189 Squadron - Lancaster I RF132 CA-K - further details follow.

Burial details:

F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC. Aberdeen Cemetery (Springbank) Sec. W. Grave 163. Born on the 17th July 1919 in Alberta, Canada. Son to Alvin Hugh and Lulu Spray (née Bailie) Mason. Husband to Elizabeth Maud (née Owen) Mason.

Fl/Sgt Stanley Edward Martin. Harrow Weald Cemetery. Sec. D. Grave 55. Son of Albert and Emma Elizabeth Martin and husband of Mary Ann Martin, of Stanmore, Middlesex, England.

Sgt. Roy Henry Appleton. St. Peter-In-Thanet Churchyard. Row 46. Grave 66. Husband of Denise Marie Appleton, of St. Peter’s, Broadstairs, Isle of Thanet, Kent, England.

Sgt. George Brown Lamb. Aberdeen Cemetery, (Trinity) Broadhill Extension. Sec. 10. Grave 596. Son of William M.P. Lamb and Georgina B. Lamb, of Woodside, Aberdeen, Scotland.

W/O. James Bernard McNight. Newark-Upon-Trent Cemetery. Sec. F. Grave 310A. Son of Joseph Patrick McKnight and Susan Mary McKnight, of St. Marks, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.

F/O. Harry George Trueman. Thurlby Churchyard (St. Germain). Grave C.4. Son of Thomas H. Trueman and Rosalia A. Trueman, of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Ronald Edward Duke. Thurlby Churchyard (St. Germain). Grave C.5. Son of Stephen John and Elsie Ethel Duke, of Paddington, London, England.

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harold Nelson. Easington (Colliery) Cemetery. Sec. A. Grave 191. Son of Harold and Elizabeth Margaret Nelson, of Easington Colliery, County Durham, England.

Researched for and with some information supplied by Carol Black - relative of F/O. James Hubert Mason DFC. Page dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources as shown. With a great many thanks to Jack Brook who advised us of the correct serial number of this aircraft - August 2017. Thanks to Shaun Noble for NoK details for F/O. Mason DFC.