Francis John Mason
Police Constable

Francis John Mason

Hertfordshire Constabulary — Welwyn, ENG
Felonious
End of Watch April 14, 1988
Age 27
The Vigil Panel 190 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Shot and fatally wounded, while off duty, after intervening in an armed robbery on a security van at Barclays Bank in Bank Court, Hemel Hempstead. Having identified himself as a police officer he was arresting one robber when he was shot in the chest by another.

Posthumously awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-GB-HEC-32D70A50
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Francis. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Constable Mason served with the Hertfordshire Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Constable Mason.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type State Police
Location Welwyn, ENG
Platform Identity hco.hrt.eng.gb.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 14, 1988
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Homicide - Shot

Police Constable Francis John Mason is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,784 officers honored here.

In ENG, 702 of 2,827 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 24.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hertfordshire Constabulary, 5 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 21.7% of this agency's fallen.

Hertfordshire Constabulary
5
of 23 officers
21.7% Felonious
ENG — Statewide
702
of 2,827 officers
24.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,784 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Francis John Mason's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Francis John Mason Compares

Age at Death
27
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Francis John Mason is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909