Stoker 1st Class Dudley Herbert Mason

Dudley was born in London, England in 1909, the son of Robert Mason. It is not clear when he came to Canada, but he attended Paris Public School and Brantford Collegiate. He lived at 50 Dundas Street and worked at Penman’s before he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve in August 1940. He enlisted with the Navy because, as he told his wife, He “didn’t like this marching” the army called for. His wife, Rebecca Taverner, hung a wishbone over his photo when she made him a chicken sandwich to eat on the train to Halifax. Sadly, there was no magic and he did not return home.

He died at sea at the age of 31. He was serving as Stoker, First Class aboard the HMCS Otter when, along with the rest of the crew, he was forced to abandon ship while on duty off the coast of Halifax. There was a furious storm at the time, and the life raft where he took refuge capsized. Dudley buried in the Halifax Memorial Cemetery. He left behind his wife and three children.

(Some of this information is taken from the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, created by Veterans Affairs Canada)