Noel Mason-Macfarlane

Sir Noel Mason-Macfarlane
Lieutenant General Sir Noel Mason-Macfarlane in 1943
Born	(1889-10-23)23 October 1889 Cookham, Berkshire
Died	12 August 1953(1953-08-12) (aged 63) Twyford, Berkshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1909–45
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	Royal Artillery
Commands held	Allied Control Commission for Italy Governor of Gibraltar 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division
Battles/wars	First World War Third Anglo-Afghan War Second World War
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Military Cross & Two Bars Mentioned in Despatches Croix de guerre (France) Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland) Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)

Lieutenant General Sir Frank Noel Mason-MacFarlane, KCB, DSO, MC & Two Bars (23 October 1889 – 12 August 1953) was a senior British Army officer, administrator and politician who served as Governor of Gibraltar during the Second World War.

Mason-MacFarlane joined the Royal Artillery in 1909 and served in the First World War on the Western Front and in Mesopotamia. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1916, a Bar to the award in 1918 (gazetted in September) and a second Bar in the same year, awarded while he was attached to the Headquarters, 41st Divisional Artillery. The citation for the second Bar was published in a supplement to the London Gazette on 2 December 1918, and reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While he was engaged on a reconnaissance another officer who was with him was severely wounded by a sniper. He removed him to a place of safety and also brought in a stretcher-bearer who was wounded by the same sniper. He then completed his reconnaissance and returned with valuable and accurate information.

Mason-MacFarlane was also awarded the French Croix de guerre and mentioned in despatches during the First World War.

He served as Britain's military attaché to Berlin prior to the Second World War (and proposed the assassination of Adolf Hitler, an offer turned down by his superiors) as well as to Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1939 New Year Honours, Mason-MacFarlane was Director of Military Intelligence with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in 1939–40 and during the retreat to Dunkirk was operational commander of "Mac Force," an improvised formation covering the British right flank. For his services, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.