War Hero tackles intruder (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

War Hero tackles intruder

WHEN a burglar broke into the home of a Malmesbury octogenarian, he picked the wrong man...

Dennis Mason (87), who helped spearhead one of the most infamous Second World War allied campaigns, tackled the burglar and sent him packing.

Dennis was among the five-man crew aboard a special floating Sherman tank when it became the second vehicle to land on Omaha Beach during the Normandy D-Day landings on the dawn of June 6, 1944.

He and his fellow soldiers of the 13/18th Royal Hussars were given just ten minutes to suppress the barrage of enemy fire before the infantry landed.

They achieved their mission and he survived to go on and earn five medals for his part in the subsequent Battle of Normandy.

At 9.15pm last Friday, as he sat alone in his kitchen watching the Two Ronnies on television, his disregard for fear re-emerged when he was faced with a burglar.

Dennis explained: "I just happened to glance at the frost glass window (of the kitchen to living room door) and I saw a shadow go past it. "He was on one side and I was on the other.

"I saw this shadow and thought it's probably a car light going by, but I will have a look anyway.

"I opened the kitchen door and there he was.

"I grabbed him, God knows what I was going to do with him, and he was docile for a few seconds and I thought, he's a bit frightened.

"But then all of a sudden he sprang to life and knocked my hands away and pushed me backwards and ran for his life."

Dennis admitted to having no fear in tackling the man, saying: "You don't think of things like that. I just grabbed hold of him.

"I was more angry that I had let him go."

The intruder, who is white, in his mid 20s, about 5ft 10in tall and wearing glasses and a long dark coat, escaped through the same bedroom window that he had earlier forced open.

He had rifled through Dennis' personal items in his bedroom and escaped with £50 to £60 in cash and a bank card, although none of his war medals were taken.

Dennis, a widower with three children, 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchilden, has never been burgled in the 30-years he has lived at his address.

He thanked the police for their swift response to his call.

"I phoned 999 and before I had put the phone down the police were outside my door. I was delighted," he said.

PC Dave Tripp, of Malmesbury police, said the intruder is thought to be local, as police dogs tracked him heading towards the town centre, although he escaped arrest.

He added: "I just feel appalled that a man who is so courageous and given so much to his country and community could be so disrupted like that by someone who is so cowardly.

"This man has used force on an 87-year-old, which is disgusting." PC Tripp asked anyone with any information about the burglary to call Malmesbury police on 01666 822222.