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411429 Pilot Officer Leonard Martin MASON (surname underlined)
Parents: (underlined) Mr. and Mrs. R.V. Mason of Masterton.

Leonard Mason was born at Palmerston North on the 17th July 1917. His secondary education was received at Palmerston North Technical College where he passed the Senior Free Place examination. He played football and badminton. Joining the Territorial Forces in 1933, he had four year's service, only leaving when he went to live in Auckland. When in June 1940 he applied for war service in the R.N.Z.A.F he was employed as a carpenter by Mr. T.M. Taylor of Whenuapai.

Pilot Officer Mason was enlisted for aircrew training on the 2nd March 1941 at the Ground Training School, Levin, and was posted on the 12th April to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, Bell Block, New Plymouth to commence his flying training. On the 18th June (redacted 1941) he embarked for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after his arrival in Canada, Pilot Officer Mason was posted on the 6th July 1941 to No. 10 Service Flying Training School, Dauphin, Manitoba, and while here on the 25th September (redacted 1941) he proceeded to No. 1 'Y' Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, to await embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Having arrived in England on the 19th October 1941, Pilot Officer Mason (redacted was held) remained at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, until posted on the 1st December to No. 3 Advanced Training Unit, Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. Later in the month (redacted on the 29th December) he was posted to No. 1513, Beam Approach Training Flight, Honington, Suffolk, for an instrumental flying course. He proceeded on the 12th January 1942 to No. 20 Operational Training Unit, Lossimouth, Morayshire, Scotland, to crew-up and complete his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. While with this unit he took part in a bombing raid on Bremen. On the 28th June (redacted 1942) he was posted to No. 115, Squadron, Downham Market, Norfolk.