Bidspirit auction | WW2 SS Ohio Capt D

WW2 SS Ohio Capt D Mason GC signed Malta Convoys Navy cover RARE George Cross winner. Only 40 covers were double signed by Mason and Raymond Morton a survivor of the loss of the ship. Dudley William Mason GC (7 October 1901 - 26 April 1987) was the British master of the tanker SS Ohio during the Second World War. He commanded the tanker during Operation Pedestal, a convoy to relieve Malta. He was awarded the George Cross for this operation. Ohio was one of 14 merchant vessels sent to aid Malta. The convoy, with naval and air escort, met enemy action on 11 August. The next day, when air attacks began, it became apparent the tanker was the main target. For four days the ship suffered continuous attacks from aircraft and submarines. She sustained grave damage from a torpedo, two sticks of bombs lifted her out of the water and another exploded in her boiler room. A Stuka crashed and exploded on her deck, her back was broken and Ohio was twice abandoned and reboarded. In spite of this she reached Malta on 15 August and was carried into Valletta harbour, lashed between the destroyers HMS Ledbury and HMS Penn, and not until the last of the fuel had been pumped out did Ohio settle on the bottom. During the action, Mason and the chief engineer were badly burned and flown back to England for treatment. Captain Mason's GC was not only for his personal courage and determination but for his crew. Other gallantry awards to the crew of Ohio during Operation Pedestal included a Distinguished Service Order, five Distinguished Service Crosses and seven Distinguished Service Medals. Raymond Morton is among the SS Ohio survivors who never made it to Malta in 1942 as he was blown overboard when the tanker was hit by a torpedo. Presumed dead and lost at sea, his mates wrote a letter breaking the news to his parents, which they sent off together with his bible that he had kept in his locker aboard the vessel. Three weeks later his parents received another letter saying he was alive and well but that they must make no attempt to contact him. It later transpired that once overboard, he survived further German aircraft firing, was fished out by a destroyer and taken to Gibraltar to recover. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99