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Flight Sergeant Albert Michael
"Mick" Norris was serving as Navigator aboard Halifax Mk.BIII NR252 coded
NP-B during an operation to Hanover on
January 5/6, 1945.
The aircraft left
Lissett at 1647hrs and successfully
bombed the target but failed to return. On the homebound journey it was hit by a
night-fighter destroying the H2S blister and moments later, a
second attack destroyed the ammunition trays and conveyors of
the four guns of the rear turret. Arriving at the Dutch–German
border flying due West, only two engines were operable and
after consulting with Norris, the navigator, it was considered
advisable by Elliott to divert the course to the South in an
attempt to reach an Allied-held airport in Belgium.
At that moment the
Halifax was attacked again and the third engine was put out of
action, together with the elevator trimmers, rendering the
plane unmanageable. McMahon the Mid Upper Gunner reported from
his turret that he saw flames passing him from the wing fuel
tanks. Pilot Elliott ordered his crew to bale out. Sadly,
having waited for all his crew to jump, he had left it too
late and was found dead close by his crashed aircraft with his
parachute half-opened. The Halifax crashed at 20:15;16km West
of Almelo in the Overissel province of Holland. Flight
Lieutenant Alec Elliott was twenty-five at the time of his
death and is buried in the Cemetery at Hellendoorn, Holland.
The crew consisted of:
|
Name |
Trade |
|
F/L Alec Elliott |
Pilot |
|
Sgt W Morton - Evader |
Flight Engineer |
|
F/Sgt Michael “Mick” Norris - POW |
Navigator |
|
F/Sgt Ian Croad - Evader |
Bomb Aimer |
|
F/Sgt Paul Watson - Evader |
W/Op/AG |
|
Sgt Don McMahon - POW |
M/U Gunner |
|
Sgt Ralph Dickson - Evader |
Rear Gunner |
Record of Service
Albert
"Mick"
Norris enlisted on 29th June 1942 (no.1801918)
From
the Manning Depot at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London
ITW
at Torquay, Devon
42
Air School till 4.6.1943
48
Air School Port Elizabeth ,South Africa (11th June
1943 to 15.8.1943)
1658
HCU at Riccall, Yorkshire
158
Squadron Lissett Yorkshire
Flight Sergeant Norris was the first to bale out of
the stricken Halifax and landed near the Nederlandsche Stoom
Blekerij (a factory) off Blokkendijk in Nijverdal. He landed
rather roughly on one leg in the driveway of a big house next
to an army truck with hooded lights. A Luftwaffe soldier with
a gun helped him up and together they gathered up the
parachute and then entered the house to the astonishment of a
group of more German airmen. Afterwards Norris was transported
to a prisoner of war camp in Pomerania. Here he was to meet up
with Sgt McMahon in Stalag Luft 1.
Albert "Mick" Norris currently lives in British
Columbia, Canada.
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