Former Perth firemaster Alex Masson has died at the age of 101.
Aberdeen-born and educated, he served the fire service with distinction in England and Scotland from 1935 until his retiral in 1973 and he was awarded the MBE and OBE for public service.
After leaving the Robert Gordon College secondary department, Mr Masson became an apprentice engineer while studying at Robert Gordon Technical College, now Robert Gordon University.
On joining the fire service he served at three stations in Surrey. He transferred to Stretford and Urmston (Lancashire) fire service in 1939, serving as sub-officer and station officer across the north-west during periods of war-time enemy action.
After further study, he became a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers.
Appointed firemaster of Clydebank Fire Brigade in 1941, at the inception of the national fire service, he was appointed divisional officer in charge of the Clyde Coast area.
In 1946 Mr Masson was promoted to fire force commander, No 8 Area, Scotland, which included Perth and Kinross. It marked the start of a close association with his adopted city.
On the return of the fire service to local authority control in 1948, Mr Masson was appointed firemaster of Perth and Kinross.
After retiring from active service, he received the Queen’s Fire Service Medal.
Mr Masson was a long-time member of St Leonard’s-in-the-Fields Church and Perth Probus.
He joined Perth Rotary Club in 1964 and remained an active attender at McDiarmid Park lunches beyond his 100th birthday.
A father and grandfather, Mr Masson, who was pre-deceased by wife Dorothy, passed away peacefully at Abbeyfield Perth Society’s Viewlands House.
The couple lost son Peter but are survived by their other son Gordon, who lives in Winchester.