LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant Norman Richard CHAPMAN

Service No: 401102
Born: Melbourne VIC, 15 November 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 January 1941
Unit: No. 21 Squadron, Ipoh, Malaya
Died: Air Operations: (No. 21 Squadron Brewster Buffalo aircraft AN174), Malaya, 18 January 1942, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William George and Marianne Chapman; husband of Nulma Helen Doreen Chapman, of Elwood, Victoria, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 422, Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

At 1120 hours on 18 January Monty Montefiore (1), John Hooper (2) and Sergeant Henry Wreford Parsons (407802) and Sergeant Norm Chapman, with two aircraft of No. 453 Squadron, escorted five Hudsons on a bombing raid on Muar. After the bombing was carried out, about 35 Japanese Navy Zeros were engaged. During the battle Norm Chapman was shot down in flames and killed in action. The other aircraft returned independently to base.

The night before, Norm Chapman had confided to Jack Hincks (3) that he was worried. He said, ‘We have got no show, no show at all. One day I was flying along and a Navy Zero came along and he was looping around me while I was flying straight along.” Norm went out on 18 January and didn’t come back. That night another South Australian sergeant pilot, Henry Parsons, said, “Norm went in today and I am going up tomorrow and all I want to do is get one to make up for Norm.” Henry didn’t come back and Jack let himself dwell on the situation for a little while and thought, “This is bad. How are going to get out of this thing?”

(1) Squadron Leader Harold Vernon Montefiore (290629 (O56922)) was discharged from the RAAF on 12 November 1945.
(2) Squadron Leader John Bierne Hooper (270547) was discharged from the RAAF on 7 September 1945.
(3) Flying Officer William Jack Hincks (2835 (O41112)) was discharged from the RAAF on 10 September 1946.

Extract from Hall, E.R. (Eldred Rayner) (O3341) Glory in Chaos, Sembawang Association West Coburg VIC, 1989 – Page 304

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/96/105

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