Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Daniel James Mason
Ancestor's date of birth: 20/04/1877
Ancestor's date of death: 20/05/1959
Cause of Death: Heart Attack
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born in Auckland New Zealand, worked as a painter.
Service Number: 2066
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Sydney
Unit: 3rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles
Rank attained in Boer War: SGT, Date Effective: 11/12/1901
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): LT, Date Effective: 02/02/1918
Murray Page: 125
Contingent: Fifth New South Wales
Ship: Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 17/03/1901
Memorial details: #63 Panel J, AIF Wall of Remberance Woronora Cemetary Sydney
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal, Orange Free State, SA 1901 and SA 1902 clasps. Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), Mention in Despatches (MID), British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Personal Characteristics: Reliable, honest and upstanding person. Height 176 cm, weight 65 kg (1915), of dark complexion with brown eyes and brown hair.
Reasons to go and fight: Sense of adventure with his brother Robert and of course patriotism.
Details of service in war: April 1901 - April 1902 in Free State and East Transvaal including Boer breakthrough at Langverwacht (24 February 1902).
Service and life after the Boer War: By 1915 he was married to Minnie Christina Mason, was living at 42 Durham Street, Stanmore, New South Wales and employed as a 'contractor'. Enlisted in the AIF on 16 June 1915, Joining the 1st Light Horse as a reinforcement trooper at Gallipoli on 13 November 1915, there he experienced cold fine weather with little fighting until the 1LH withdrew on 19/20 December 1915. Appointed Lance Croporal 11 May 1916, he saw action at the defence of Rumani in June, promoted corporal in December of the same year. By the time he was promoted Sergeant on 16 March 1917 he had seen action at Magdhaba and was heading toward Gaza. The 24 July 1917 saw him made SSM in the 4LH, 13 October, an SSM in the 12LH. In this role he took part in the charge at Beersheba, and was commissioned soon after on 2 November 1917. He contracted Malaria later in November and spent some time in hospital. Mentioned in Despatches: 'London Gazette, 16 January 1918 (second Supplement No. 30480); 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 76 , 23 May 1918. Promoted Lieutenant on 2 February 1918, on 9 April 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He displayed great dash and gallantry in the charge on the final objective, after reaching which he was especially conspicuous in capturing a large number of prisoners and in aiding in the capture of a battery of guns. His conduct throughout is worthy of the highest praise.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 110 Date: 7 August 1918. The end of the war saw him again in hospital with malaria, finally leaving Port Said for Australia on 7 June 1919. He lived in Bondi after the First World War.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Shirley Ann Willmott, Sydney NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Daughter
