DENNIS MASON 13/18TH ROYAL HUSSARS

Discussion in 'RAC & RTR' started by adrian davies, Aug 7, 2020.

  1. adrian davies

    adrian davies New Member

    I am trying to establish which part of the 13/18th Royal Hussars Dennis Mason was in so I can assist his brother in finding more about Dennis service history.Before I ask him to send for the service record i was hoping to find which Squadron/ Troop he was in.He joined the Unit prior to DDay He was in one of the first DD Tanks to arrive a SWORD beach on DDay as a wireless operator .Had a total of 3 tanks and went into Germany during Operation Varsity ending his service as a Sgt.Besides that his brother knows very little.Any help would be appreciated
     
  2. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Last edited: Aug 7, 2020
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  3. Hello Adrian,

    Do you have an additional information on Dennis Mason, however insignificant it might appear? Names/nicknames of fellow crew members, any anecdote or really anything might help us identify his troop/squadron. The difficulty is that no nominal roll showing where he was has been found thus far.

    Michel
     
  4. adrian davies

    adrian davies New Member

    Thankyou his brother lost touch with Dennis post war so he knows very little.I will give him a ring tomorrow and ask
     
  5. James Harvey

    James Harvey Senior Member

    The journals are online and they list who is in what troop.

    I found both my great uncles listed

    History Downloads


    Scroll down to 13/18th

    I can’t see him listed in 1945
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2021
  6. James Harvey

    James Harvey Senior Member

    There is a Sgt C H Mason - A squadron

    also CPL Mason - B Squadron


    I think your relation is Cpl Mason B Squadron

    there is Also a group photo in the 1945 journal
     
  7. adrian davies

    adrian davies New Member

    Thanks I will take a look.I did find a Mason who if I recollect correctly was a Batman but this didn’t seem to be the same person.Where may I find the picture you mentioned
     
  8. James Harvey

    James Harvey Senior Member

    It is in the 1945 journal

    there are group photos of a and b squadrons
     
  9. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi guys,
    I’m in touch with Michael Pine Coffin, grandson of the 7th Parachute Battalion’s C.O. In his research into D Day and the Normandy campaign he has the following info he asked to pass on. He established this looking into the 13/18th who were in action around Benouville when the 7th were holding it.


    Hi Alex,
    Had a look at some of the 13/18th Hussars stuff on WW2talk and noticed a request for information on Dennis Mason. I spoke to him way back in 2007.
    He was the wireless operator in Bobby Neave’s DD tank on D-Day. Captain Neave was the 2i/c of B Squadron and was one of the first tanks ashore.
    Can you pass the above information on for me please”

    Alex.
     
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  10. adrian davies

    adrian davies New Member

    Thats very much appreciated.Thanks for the information thats a great start.
     
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  11. Hi Adrian,

    Post war Dennis lived in Malmesbury and joined the British Legion. I have a copy of his personal story about D Day. Apparently he was reluctant to talk about it as he believed information about DD tanks was still covered by the Official Secrets Act!

    Dennis ‘Danny’ Mason’s D Day

    After a night battling appalling seasickness and nervously checking escape equipment the signal was given and at about 6am the landing craft lined up three miles offshore.

    We got into the tank and drove down the ramp into the sea. We had never launched into such a rough sea before. At this stage it was very frightening. It was not yet light and we seemed to be completely on our own in the water, in the dark, unable to see anyone else and in complete silence, heading for who knows what. It was so eerie as not a shot had been fired.

    We were two miles from the beach when suddenly the whole line of ships opened fire on the beach defences. Now the Germans woke up and fired back at our Navy. Luckily they did not see our tanks as we were so low in the water, but shells were whistling just above our heads.

    We swam on in our tanks until we felt the bump of the tracks which told us we had about 200 yards to go before we dropped our screen and could fire on the defences. Our task was to “Subdue by fire all aimed fire from the beach”. This we did, but shells were dropping on the beach from large guns further inland. After we broke through the first line of defences, we moved inland to silence those guns. The last strong point fell at 8pm. That was my last action on D-Day. The ground we fought over was just as we had been shown at our final briefing so we knew exactly where we were going.
     
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