Ernest Mason Ernest " Imshi " Mason DFC and Bar ( 29 July 1913 – 15 February 1942 ) was a British World War II flying ace , credited with one " Luftwaffe " and 14 " Regia Aeronautica " aircraft destroyed , two shared destroyed , three damaged and another three shared damaged in the air . Mason claimed one and 13 shared destroyed on the ground . Early life . Ernest “ Imshi ” Mason was born in Darlington , and was educated at Blackpool Grammar School . A gifted musician ( he played the saxophone ) he was also interested in engineering and mechanics , riding motorcycles in dirt track racing at the age of 14 . RAF career . Mason joined the RAF in March 1938 , undergoing training at 4 FTS in Egypt . He was initially posted to No . 48 squadron flying Vickers Wellesley bombers , but managed to switch to fighters with No . 80 Sqn . flying the Gloster Gladiator by the time the war had started . At the end of 1940 he transferred as part of a flight of 80 Squadron forming into No . 274 Squadron with the Hawker Hurricane . Mediterranean , Middle East and African theatres of World War II . Mason and Lt . Robert Talbot of the SAAF were detached to Sidi Barrani in order to " freelance " over the Libyan Desert attacking targets of opportunity . It was during this period that Mason developed his preferred style of attack , embarking on long range missions to attack enemy air bases well behind the lines . By the end of January 1941 , Mason ’ s score was 14 kills and he was awarded the DFC in February 1941 . By this time , he was also the leading Allied ace in the Middle East theatre . In March 1941 , Mason led a flight to Malta to reinforce the defensive fighter force . On 13 April , Mason attacked four Bf 109s . He was attacked in turn by Oblt . Klaus Mietusch of JG 26 and shot down for the German ' s eighth victory . Mason ditched his aircraft in the sea , suffering wounds to his hand in the combat and a broken nose in the ditching . By now Mason has assumed a notoriety within the aircrews of the Commonwealth Air Forces , having grown a thick black beard ( against RAF regulations ) and acquiring the nickname " Imshi " ; colloquial Arabic for ' scram ' , which he reportedly tended to shout at the local pedlars . Among Mason ' s notable victims were Tenente Oscar Abello and " Sergente " Pardino Pardini of " 70a Squadriglia " , " Regia Aeronautica " , victims number six and seven , both shot down on the same mission over Greece on 5 January 1941 . During a patrol on 26 January , Mason encountered three Fiat G . 50bis of 2o Gruppo CT near Derna and seven Fiat CR . 42s of 368a " Squadriglia " strafing Australian ground positions . Mason shot down two victims , Sottotenente Alfonso Nuti and Maresciallo Guido Papparato from 368a Squadriglia , who were both killed . In July 1941 Mason assumed command of No . 261 Squadron , reforming in Palestine . In August he led the unit in the occupation of Iran , and in January was posted back to the Western Desert to command No 94 Squadron flying P - 40 Kittyhawks . Death . On 15 February 1942 , Mason led a ground attack mission against a known " Luftwaffe " base at Martuba , Egypt . His flight was bounced by " Jagdgeschwader 27 " Messerschmitt Bf 109 s led by the German ace " Obfw " . Otto Schulz . Four Kittyhawks were shot down , including Mason ' s . He was killed , becoming Schulz ' s 40th victim .