MASON, John
| Service Number: | 1254 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 June 1915, Subiaco, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 10th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Albany, West Australia, 31 October 1881 |
| Home Town: | Ravensthorpe, Ravensthorpe, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Teamster |
| Died: | Natural causes (pulmonary failure), Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, 15 July 1941, aged 59 years |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Grave Location: Anglican-Section LD/Grave 0394. |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1254, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Subiaco, Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1254, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 1 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1254, 10th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Hororata, Fremantle | |
| 19 Apr 1917: | Wounded GSW - left thigh | |
| 3 May 1918: | Wounded Merris (France), GSW - thigh | |
| 5 Mar 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Trooper, 1254, 10th Light Horse Regiment |
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Add my storyBiography
Son of John MASON and Fanny WINNERY (aboriginal named Binian)
Trooper John Mason was a Noongar man from S.W. West Australia. He was an excellent horseman and marksman, and owned a Winchester lever action carbine. He had a strong family, his father was an Englishman who jumped ship in Albany around the mid 1800's, and his mother was a Noongar woman who was well respected in the area as a midwife.
He had two sisters, Harriet and Dinah. Dinah was my great grandmother.
John Mason had a very strong connection to the land, his father worked as a shepherd in the South West, between Albany and Esperance. John Mason was well respected for his shooting prowess and won local competitions where a hat with a piece of limestone was thrown in the air, and, if the shooter hit the hat, the owner of the hat would buy the shooter a new hat, (and possibly another one for himself - as a Winchester 44/40 was a powerful cartridge).
My Great Uncle was a clever hunter and supplied the family's meat needs by shooting kangaroos and rabbits. A story told was that he would not shoot one rabbit alone, he would wait until two or more were together and get them all with one shotgun cartridge. He was also very close to his sisters.
After being poisoned by mustard gas in France, he was sent home for repatriation. He applied to join the Anzac Club, the now RSL and was denied entry as he was considered a half caste and the Anzac club would only accept quarter castes. It seemed he was good enough to die for his country, but not good enough for the Anzac Club.
He died in 1941 of pulmonary complications due to the mustard gas poisoning, while the Anzac Club were still assesing his racial mix.
It would be fitting for him to be recognised. I have copies of the Anzac Clubs and the Police clandestine investigation of Trooper John Mason's service.
He was SERN 1254 of the 10th Light Horse regiment. He loved and fought for his country with honour.
John never married and he lived at Greenmount on a service pension. The Police interviews with his neighbours had concluded John was a clean and upstanding man with a tall and distinguisehed appearance, he was well read and a good artist, particularly of native birds and animals.
I have several photos of him in uniform, and I still own his "Webley and Scott" revolver, which forms part of my licenced collection.
John Mason's family is spoken of in the Fact Fiction Book of Kim Scott titled "Benang." This book won a major literary award in 2001 and Kim Scott is a cousin of mine. - James Innis
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