My Dad spoke a lot about a chap called Lloyd Mason. Both of them were in the same squadron (127) and I gained the impression that they were the very best of buddies. I guess your memory gets a bit fuzzier as the years go by, but I thought my Dad told me that Lloyd had either been bitten by a scorpion when he put his boots on or flew into a hillside. Ever since hearing about the scorpion, I have been paranoid about putting shoes on – I check my shoes every single day before putting them on. Dad was serving in Egypt, so guess it was a pretty wise precaution.
It wasn’t until earlier this year, when I was contacted by a chap in the UK who is writing a book on 127 Squadron RAF, that I found out Lloyd Mason died in 1988, the same year as my Dad. That’s a spooky coincidence if you ask me. Dad died February 5, 1988 at the age of 67 years and Lloyd on December 7 at the age of 69 years.
Because I feel that I’ve known Lloyd through my dad, I thought this post should be devoted to him. For his efforts and bravery in WWII, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was a Flight Lieutenant, same as Dad, and his number was 402028 (Dad’s was 402670). I’ve obviously confused things up over the years because I thought that Lloyd had a mustache but the photo sent to me showed a totally different man from the one I thought was Lloyd.
Here is Lloyd’s death notice and a photo of him – he is the chap on the left wearing the RAF Forage cap and light Khaki Battledress jacket.
Lloyd Mason's death notice.
Lloyd Mason is on the left.
I had a look through Dad’s wartime photo album to see if I could find any photos of Lloyd Mason and found the photo below.
Caption reads: Lloyd is third from left in back row. The chappie fourth from right in back row is also on the Squadron.
Dad is on the far left, front row in this photo and I’m not sure who the “chappie” is. Apparently, there was an Australian pilot who flew into a hillside during a training exercise in August 1943 so that clears up the memory I have of Lloyd flying into a hillside. But I wonder who was bitten by a scorpion when putting on a boot inside a tent in the desert? I think Dad said he died from the bite but I can’t be sure. Wish I’d taken notes when he told me all his wartime stories!
