Private. Donald George Mason, served with ‘A’ Company, 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion.

Donald known as ‘Danny’ Mason was born in 1926 and enlisted in 1944.

He volunteered for Airborne Forces and was posted to Hardwick Hall on the 28th December 1944. [1]

Danny did Parachute Course B153 at RAF. Ringway, 10 – 26 February 1945. His Parachute Instructors comments: ‘Good performer. Very determined worker’. [2]

Upon completion of his parachute course he was posted to the 8th Parachute Battalion, which was part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division. He was allocated to ‘A’ Company.

He took part in Operation ‘Varsity’ on the 24th March 1945. Taking off from RAF Chipping Ongar aboard a Dakota aircraft of the 61st Troop Carrier Group, USAAF., he jumped onto D.Z. ‘A’, near Hamminkeln and the Diersfordter Woods, on the east side of the Rhine River, in Germany.

He then took part in the advance across Germany, which ended for the 8th Parachute Battalion at Wendorf and Hoben on the Baltic.

After return to the United Kingdom ‘Danny’ was posted to the AATDC. (Army Airborne Transport Development Centre), Old Sarum, where he served until 1947.

He was granted an ‘A’ Class Release on the 19 November 1947. [1]

NOTES:

[1] The Parachute Regiment, Transfer and Enlistment Book 23, page 101.

[2] Parachute Course Report, RAF Ringway. February 1945.

Danny Mason is one of the last surviving members of The 6th Airborne Division. He saw action with The 8th Para Battalion on Op.Varsity. He is featured in the 'First In Last Out' photographic exhibition by Robin Savage at The Airborne Assault museum.