Operation: Emro Patrol
Date: 11th/12th February 1941 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Unit: No. 206 Squadron (motto: Nihil nos effugit - 'Nothing escapes us').16 Group
Type: Hudson I
Serial: T9350
Code: VX-J
Base: RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk
Location: North Sea
Pilot: P/O. Miles Arthur George Mason 42417 RAF Age 24. Missing - believed killed
Pilot 2: P/O. John Ross Waterman 83731 RAFVR Age 22. Missing - believed killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Joseph Wallace 638965 RAF Age 21. Missing - believed killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Albert James Arnott 639142 RAF Age 25. Missing - believed killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 20:10 hrs. on a 'Emro' patrol (Emden to Rotterdam) with two others.
All three aircraft were lost over the North Sea after running out of fuel in thick fog. It is believed that P/O. Mason in T9350 had attempted to reach Leuchars, but at 01:13 hrs. on the 12th February was instructed to abandon the aircraft in the belief it was over land.
No trace of the aircraft or crew was ever found but it is believed to have crashed off the coast of Caithness.
The others:
Hudson I T9346 VX-K Flown by Sgt. Ralph Brettell Morris 741251 RAFVR - missing with 3 crew, 1 killed.
Hudson I T9289 VX-A Flown by 20 year old, Sgt. William Alan Bracher 745338 RAFVR - missing with all crew.
Burial and personal details:
P/O. Miles Arthur George Mason. (shown left)Runnymede Memorial. Panel 33. Born on the 17th September 1916 at Lower Hut. Worked as an orchardist with his father at Richmond. A RNZAF reserve pilot who trained to fly with Marlborough Aero Club. 'A' licence gained on the 23rd March 1938. Selected for RAF short service commission on the 13th March 1939.
Embarked for England on the 06th May 1939.Further training with No. 6 Service Flying Training School. Joined 206 squadron on the 06th July 1940.
Son of Miles Clement Waller Mason and Gwendolyn Mary Mason, of Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. Husband of Charlotte Lucy Mason (née Stacey), from L'Ancresse, Guernsey, Channel Islands).
P/O. John Ross Waterman. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 35. Son of Alfred John Salter Waterman (died 16th August 1966, age 79) and Caroline Maud Waterman (died 24th December 1945, age 57) , of Woodford Bridge, Essex, England. Parents buried at Chingford Mount Cemetery, Waltham Forest, London, England.
Sgt. Joseph Wallace. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 54. Son of Joseph and Margaret Wallace, of Parkhead, Glasgow, Scotland.
Sgt. Albert James Arnott. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 38. Son of John Murray Arnott (died 28th December 1992, age 88) and Helen Fraser Arnott (née Mackenzie - died 13th May 1973, age 81), of Auldearn, Nairnshire. Both parents buried at Auldearn and Dalmore Kirk Burial Ground, Scotland.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, AIR27, Ipswich War Memorial, other sources as quoted below:
KTY 14-10-2021
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them. - Laurence
Binyon
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