Thomas Murray Mason
I'm grateful to Charlotte Watson, Thomas's granddaughter, for all the following information:
Thomas served in the RNZN from 1939-1945. He served on HMS Swiftsure, a Minotaur-class light cruiser, from served February 1945 to September 1945 after which he served on HMS Gambia from September to December 1945 as Able Seaman radarman. Thomas passed away in 1997.
While he was serving on her, Swiftsure was the flagship of the British Pacific Cruiser Squadron and that meant he would have been present when the Japanese surrendered at Hong Kong on August 30, 1945.
He was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Pacific Star, the War Medal and the New Zealand War Service Medal.
Thomas Murray Mason
HMS Swiftsure during WWII. Image: Imperial War Museums FL 9095