Philip Magson was born on 12th July 1920, he was the son of Thomas Robert and Sadie Magson, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Little is known about his early life is known other than he was probably living in Quesnel, British Columbia when he enlisted and that he trained as a bomb aimer and was posted to 408 Squadron. He was uninjured after baling out of Halifax JD174 in July 1943, he appears to have been posted to 405 Squadron soon after this incident who were based at Gransden Lodge. 405 Squadron were a RCAF Pathfinder squadron and a number of members of the crew of Halifax JD174 appear to have been posted there.

On the night of 23rd/24th August 1943 F/O Philip Magson was flying in Halifax HR918 on Ops to Berlin, the aircraft left Gransden Lodge at 20.15hrs and failed to return. research carried out by the half-brother of another member of his then crew discovered that the aircraft had crashed in Dolzein Forest near Haldensleben, Magdeburg, Germany. All seven members of the crew were killed with the body of the pilot either never found or correctly identied. The crew were initially buried in Satuelle but are now buried in Berlin War Cemetery. F/O Magson was twenty three years old.

Philip Magson's grave in Berlin War Cemetery, photograph found on "www.veterans.gc.ca".