In Memoriam  - Raymond Reginald Norman                                                                                 Home

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Arthur Ernest Abbott William John Berrill Peter (F.C.) Causebrook Harold Cheaseman
Gordon Roy Coe Jack Dunkley Gordon George Elderton Peter Gifford Felce

Frederick Furr

Harold Philip Gardiner

Anthony Robert Gillitt

 Ronald Douglas Hales

Norman Leonard Hornsey

Robert Howard

 Edwin Hudson John Arthur Paul Loake
Richard Saxby Mutimer Raymond Reginald Norman Raymond George Osborne Brian Terence Peck
Colin Roderick Penness Douglas Arthur Prigmore John Harry Sharp Norman Perkins Sharpe
Robert Troath Died after Korean War: Raymond-Kimber Leslie Walters

If you have any information on Reginald's early career please let me know:  grahamtall@wgsmemories.org.uk

RAYMOND REGINALD NORMAN, born 16.2.1922, entered the School in September 1933.  In February 1937, he left School to join the Staff of the Stanton Iron Company.  He played for the “Under 15” XV and after leaving School, played regularly in local Football and Cricket teams.

He completed his training in Canada and became Sgt. Pilot.  He was reported missing in 1943. 

He was the son of Mr.  and Mrs.  R.  Norman, 204 Jubilee Crescent Wellingborough.  'In Memoriam'  book

 

The cause of Raymond's death is now known, but only because of the zeal of complete strangers on the web helping us to discover what happened.

 

The problem I faced was that although Raymond is listed in the Commonwealth War Grave Commission site, it did not provide any clues

 

other than the date of his death:  11th March 1944.  No squadron is listed – when this happened with other OGs, it was discovered that they were members of  Operational Training Units.  The fact that the “In Memoriam” lists him as missing, suggests he was lost on an operational flight – if that is the case, the graveyard  (Wilby –listed on CWGC) might contain no body.   However Chris Pointon, someone who had already helped me with Peter Felce, sent me the following information and disproved my hypothesis::

THIS IS NOT YET CONFIRMED

Myself and my gurus think that 1579547 Sgt Raymond Reginald Norman died in Oxford NM235 of 20(P)AFU (Pilots Advanced Flying Unit) Kidlington Oxon. On 11th March 1944 whilst on a X Country.  The aircraft was over Smeeton Leicestershire when it lost control avoiding a collision at night and dived into the ground.

What is confirmed is that all 3 occupants died in the registration district of Market Harborough

Right:  Air Speed Oxford

Chris also obtained the names of the two other men on the plane:  

Sgt. Stanley A Philpot 1542626 (W.Op./Air Gnr.) and 

F/Sgt John J Bailie R/165456 RCAF (Pilot)

And when looked up on CWGC both died on the same day as Raymond Norman; Philpot also being buried in an English graveyard.

 

CWGC

Name: 

NORMAN, RAYMOND REGINALD

Initials:

R R

Nationality:

United Kingdom

Rank:

Sergeant (Pilot)

Regiment/Service:

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Age:

22

Date of Death:

11/03/1944

Service No:

1579547

Additional information:

Son of Reginald and Esther Elsie Norman, of Wellingborough.

Casualty Type:

Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference:

Grave 6.

Cemetery:

WILBY (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Northamptonshire

 

Name: 

PHILPOT, STANLEY ALBERT

Initials:

S A

Nationality:

United Kingdom

Rank:

Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.)

Regiment/Service:

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Age:

21

Date of Death:

11/03/1944

Service No:

1542626

Additional information:

Son of Edgar William and Daisy Elisabeth Philpot, of Great Yarmouth.

Casualty Type:

Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference:

Sec. O. Grave 659.

Cemetery:

GREAT YARMOUTH (CAISTER) CEMETERY

 

Name: 

BAILIE, JOHN JAMES

Initials:

J J

Nationality:

Canadian

Rank:

Flight Sergeant (Pilot)

Regiment/Service:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Age:

19

Date of Death:

11/03/1944

Service No:

R/165456

Additional information:

Son of John and Margaret R. Bailie, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Casualty Type:

Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference:

44. I. 8.

Cemetery:

BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY

 

Air Speed Oxford

As well as Airspeed themselves, the Oxford was built by the De-Havilland Aircraft Company; Percival Aircraft and of course the Standard Motor Company. It was constructed of a wooden frame with a plywood covering.

 

The Airspeed A.S.10 Oxford was a multi-engine three-seat advanced trainer monoplane. It was developed to fit specifications T.23/26 for a trainer aircraft. The design developed as a cantilever low-wing monoplane, powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah air-cooled radial engines. The first Oxfords were intended for all aspects of aircrew training including gunnery and had an Armstrong Whitworth dorsal gun turret fitted. The turret was removed from later versions. With a normal crew of three the seating could be changed to suit the training role. The cockpit had dual controls and two seats for a pilot and either a navigator or second pilot. When used for bombadieer training, the second set of controls was removed and the space was used for a prone bomb-aimer. When used as a navigation trainer the second seat was pushed back to line up with the chart table. Aft of the pilots' area was a wireless operator station, facing aft on the starboard side of the fuselage. Remarkably, the plane could be used to simultaneously train pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, gunners, or radio operators on the same flight. Oxfords were also used as air ambulances, communications aircraft and for ground radar calibration duties.

 

On the outbreak of World War II, Oxfords were selected as one of the favoured trainer aircraft in Canada, Australia and New Zealand as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) or British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), and trained many Fleet Air Arm personnel.