The Crew
Douglas Frederick William Norton
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Douglas Frederick William Norton |
Family news
The tail gunner Sgt Douglas Fréderick William Norton, was only 19 years old. From his childhood up, he appeared to be a musical talent. He was able to play by ear different instruments and as a teenager he played in a little band in Ipswich (The Melody Makers).
Sergeant Norton was born in Ipswich. He was a member of the local Melody makers Club
Furthermore he was often amusing family and friends when demonstrating his conjuring tricks. Douglas worked in a tobacco factory where he met a young girl named Majorie.
Through the radio broadcasting he learned that the RAF was recruiting radio operators. On July 16th 1940 he joined the Royal Air Force. One year later he started his operational career in the 50th Sqn, but very soon he was transferred to the Canadian 408th Sqn, This was against his will, he preferred to stay in a British Squadron but he realised that a sergeant-volunteer has little to say in this decision. He had the intention to marry Marjorie during his leave period but Douglas’ mother opposed and prevented this from happening. She realized that her son’s future and the young couple were very uncertain in the given circumstances. Maybe it was the intuition of a mother, but she was right since Douglas would not return. He and the fellow members of his crew ended their ninth mission at Westkerke. He still rests there together with his Canadian pilot P/O John Wilson (RCAF - 27 years old). The Wilson family would lose a second son during the war a gunner/navigator.
The tail gunner is pictured below in flight suit [picture right below] and during his Hampden gunner training period [picture above – third row – second from the left] The picture on the left is Sgt Evan Te Makahi Robertson gunner/observer from New Zealand.[Pictures Mrs. Karen Norton – Airs Vivienne Saunders/ Sally Throp]
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