Philip Magson was born on 12th July 1920 in Sutherland, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Thomas Robert and Sadie (nee Cowling) Magson. Both his parents were American citizens though his father was born in Rochdale, England. The family had lived in Saskatchewan until 1930 and then moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. His father had died in 1937 and his mother later re-married and moved to Quesnel, British Columbia. He had three brother and two sister living, two of his brothers; Robert A V Magson and Lloyd Magson had both served as officers in the RCAF during WW2. Prior to enlisting for RCAF service he was working as a printer's apprentice. He enlisted for RCAF service in Vancouver on 13th August 1941 and was living on Rupert Street in the city at that time. After basic training he received a commission on 6th November 1942 to the rank of P/O and received his Air Bomber's half-wings on the same date. A photograph of him found in his service file (shown above) shows him with Observer half-wings. He was then posted to the UK to continue his training and was posted to 22 OTU on 2nd February 1943 and to 1659 HCU on 25th April 1943 and being promoted to F/O on 6th May 1943. He was then posted to 408 Squadron on 16th May 1943 and served with them until just after baling out of Halifax JD174 over the North York Moors. He was uninjured after baling out of Halifax JD174. With some other members of his 408 Squadron crew he was posted to 405 Squadron PFF on 24th July 1943 based at Gransden Lodge.
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 identified. 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".
His brothers were probably P/O Robert A V Magson (J/14693) and Lloyd Magson (probably navigator P/O Lloyd Truscott Magson RCAF (J/87446)) who served with 420 Squadron and survived the crash at White Waltham airfield on 30th July 1944 to Halifax NA528. Also onboard NA528 on this date was Sgt F V Harvey who had himself survived the crash of Halifax LW396 near Raskelf, Yorkshire in February 1944. Lloyd Magson died in October 2006.
