David Mason WB

David Mason, who died on the 15th of March 2025, served in the Desert Regiment from 1974 to 1976. He was 2ic Red Company, DR, throughout most of his seconded tour of duty. On January 6th 1975 Red Company were attached to the Jebel Regiment and took part in a major operation, Operation Dharab, aimed at striking the main enemy stores and headquarters area at the Sherishitti caves in western Dhofar.

Much of the following account is drawn from Stewart Wilson's excellent book, Dhofar Voices:

At 13:30 Nigel Loring proceeded to lead his company towards the wadi bottom. His company had one platoon leading the advance with Loring well to the fore. His FOO, Capt Ian MacLucas, an artillery officer, was about 100m behind with the two remaining platoons bringing up the rear. The terrain was flat open grassland, the tree line having stopped about 300m to the west.

The BATT liaison officer with Nigel Loring commented: "Nigel started to cross the open ground with his men in extended line. They were about two thirds of the way across when the enemy initiated a contact. This was reported as being a classic come-on, only a light element of fire from the enemy, which soon slowed to nothing. It was reported that Nigel Loring took advantage of this apparent lull in the firing to move his lead elements forward to the slightly elevated ground on the other side of the wadi, towards the edge of the tree line on the far side of the clearing. The whole area then erupted with murderous automatic fire. Nigel was now wounded but continued to lead his men forward. He and a few of his men made it to the far edge of the clearing and this is where he was killed, right in amongst the enemy positions. He was a brave and courageous leader. His company was severely decimated. From my perspective, we heard the beginnings of small contact, but nothing too heavy. But very soon the firing escalated to a scale of violence and intensity which I had never before experienced. It was clear that a very large and well armed enemy force was engaging us with extreme ferocity."

When the JR company had started to proceed into the open area David Mason was on a nearby picquet. When the second devastating contact occurred he saw a group of about fifteen adoo storm up out of the wadi and kill Nigel Loring and those jundees near him. Mason and the platoon commander, Lt Abdullah Salim, ordered their men to return fire. 5 - 10 minutes after the second contact David put Abdullah in charge of the picquet and ran forward alone under heavy enemy fire across the open ground. After about 200 metres he came across his first casualty, the signaller to the FOO, Ian MacLucas. Almost simultaneously he found Ian MacLucas himself, Initially David thought MacLucas was dead but then realised he was still alive and conscious. He was very badly wounded including an exit wound at his spine. David used the artillery radio to send a sitrep and to call down smoke. This was most welcome but, to add to the confusion, the smoke set fire to the grass.

David then administered morphine to Ian MacLucas but was reluctant to move him without assistance due to the nature of the wounds. He did pick up the signaller and, still under fire, carried him back to his picquet. Soon after he returned to the picquet it was assaulted at close quarters by about 20 adoo with both small arms and RPG7 fire.They fought them off but suffered 5 wounded and 6 killed. About 10 of the enemy were also killed.

The artillery continued to provide smoke cover and David ran back out to the contact area to continue with the rescue of the wounded. He combed the area and eventually found a total of 13 wounded who he carried back, one by one, to the position where Ian MacLucas was still lying. This position was then also assaulted at close quarters and one of the wounded was killed. However about 5 of the enemy were also killed and they withdrew with further casualties.

David finally was able to go forward and located the body of Nigel Loring, whose wounds indicated that he had died immediately but soon came under renewed heavy fire and was forced to withdraw back to where he had gathered the wounded.

Further support from another JR company and from the BATT contingent then arrived. Under fire throughout the wounded were eventually moved back to relative safety and helicopter casevac. It was only at this stage, at about 16:30 that Ian MacLucas could be moved by David and one of the BATT soldiers to the safety of the casevac position.

For his quite outstanding bravery on this day David was awarded the Sultan's Bravery Medal.

David Mason was born in 1951 and educated at Eton College. He was commissioned into the Welsh Guards in 1970 and served several tours of duty in Northern Ireland in the early days of the struggle with Irish republicans. He was involved in covert operations in the province and on one occasion was rescued during an under cover mission when 2 of his colleagues had been shot.

He did not continue his military service long after leaving Oman and after leaving the army supported Sir Ranulph Fiennes (who also served in Oman) on his Transglobe Expedition to circumnavigate the globe via both south and north poles.

Following the death of his father he returned home in 1982 to run the family estate at Eynsham Park in Oxfordshire. He was a prominent figure in the county and served as High Sheriff in 1994-95 and was appointed as Deputy Lieutenant in 2004. He was president of the Oxfordshire Royal British Legion from 2006 to 2022.

His novel, Shadow Over Babylon, described a fictional plot to assassinate Saddam Hussein. It was well received. The New York Times called it 'absorbing' and 'an unusually deft first novel'. It was his only published novel.

David was tall (6ft 4ins) and a striking looking man. He did not suffer fools gladly and had an acerbic tongue. He enjoyed getting a rise out of people that he did not admire, particularly officers more senior than him as evidenced by his wearing of an unconventional animal skin stetson when operating in Dhofar that utterly incensed the commanding officer of the Jebel Regiment. (David being a member of the Desert Regiment). From 'We Won A War' by Maj Gen John Akehurst (page 87): "Captain David Mason of the Welsh Guards welcomed us cheerfully wearing, of all things, a hide cowboy hat."

He married Monique in 1980 and we offer our condolences and thoughts to her and their son and three daughters. It is understood that the family wish to hold a private funeral but that a memorial service in the Guards Chapel is planned for July 23 at 2:30pm. We will confirm these details in due course.