Neil 'Fox' Mason

Fans of the film The Dish are going to enjoy this story.

I received an Australian Defence Medal awarded to Neil Francis Mason, know as Fox, from Col W of the Isis RSL sub-branch. Fox was awarded this medal for fulfilling his National Service obligation but it is his civilian career which is far more fascinating and will be familiar to many.

Fox was a member of the CSIRO staff at the Parkes radio telescope. He was part of the team during the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Specifically, 'Present in the control room were the NASA personnel, John Bolton, Dr Taffy Bowen, the PMG senior technical officer, Brian Coote, and Neil 'Fox' Mason, who was the driver given the responsibility to operate the dish at this historic moment.'

A more detailed description of the events of that day are at this link:

On Eagle's Wings: The Story of the Parkes Apollo 11 Support

This link is the ABC news story about the 40th anniversary of the landing.

Fond memories of 'the dish' for moon-landing veterans - ABC News

Fox was married to Ethel (Winkie) Phillips. He died in 2017 and is buried in the Parkes cemetery.

I have been in contact with Lynne from the Mason family and will be sending her Fox's medal in the near future. I was assisted in contacting Lynne through her cousin Barry.

The returned medal tally is now 3031.

WWI KIA - John (Jack) Alfrey Porter

Note: there are some issues with the links to Tove and other research resources. Redirections occur, but the page will open.

This pair of WWI medals are as well travelled as the solider who was awarded them. Sadly, the solider did not make his journey home as he was killed in action on 24 April 2017.

The Porter family was very prominent in colonial Australia. John Alfrey Porter was one of the early administrators of both New South Wales and Victoria. The solider whose medals are being returned is also named John Alfrey Porter. This is two articles about the grandfather. This link is to his obituary:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241180009?searchTerm=%22John%20Alfrey%20Porter%22

This link details the John's will which shows how well off the family was.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/202700572?searchTerm=%22John%20Alfrey%20Porter%22

Unfortunately, the family suffered a scandal. While the whole story is interesting the section about the Porters is in the left hand column.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/201744494?searchTerm=%22John%20Alfrey%20Porter%22

There is another interesting story related to this family through the descendants of Jack Porter's sister Mary. Mary's son was John Villars, a philanthropist who established the John Villar's Trust for the benefit of Queensland communities. John's bio can be found at this link:

https://jvtrust.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/John-Villiers-Biography.pdf

Now to 29952 PTE 20052 PTE John Alfrey Porter. Know as Jack, PTE Porter served in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. This was a regiment of the British Army. Unfortunately, the UK records are not aa complete as those for the first AIF so I don't has much in the was of service details of Jack. The circumstances of him enlisting in a British Army regiment can only be speculated on. Usually this occurred when the individual was in the Britan rather then in Australia at the out break of war. What is known is that Jack was killed in action on 24 April 1917 at Monchy-le- Preux, France. He is commemorated at the Arras Memorial.

Private John Alfrey Porter | War Casualty Details 1604369 | CWGC

His mother published the following death notice in May 1917.

Jack's medals were sent to me by Jane C. They have been well looked after over the years. I have been in touch with a descendant of Jack's sister Ellen. This is Linden, who tells me that Ellen 'was close to her brother and was very affected by this death'. 

Thank you to Jane who sent me the medals. The returned medal tally is now 3030.