LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Francis Robert NORMOYLE
Service No: 420905
Born: Young NSW, 4 June 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 December 1941
Unit: No. 268 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 268 Squadron Mustang aircraft FD546), Germany, 8 February 1945, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Francis Robert and Dorothy Johanna Normoyle, of New Farm, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Young NSW
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 8 February 1945, Mustang FD546 was detailed to carry out a tactical reconnaissance of the battle area. The weather at the time was poor with visibility down to one mile. Cloud base was 400/500 feet. FD546 was flying No. 1 and his No. 2 of the section reported that: “No. 1 after flying somewhat erratically for a few minutes flew into cloud and No. 2 finding himself in cloud called No 1 on radio but there was no reply. No. 2 made another call suggesting they climb over the cloud and make a rendezvous. To this Normoyle replied “OK, I am going up.” After flying for about five minutes above the cloud, and still not able to see No. 1, No. 2 then broke through the clouds and found himself over the area where hundreds of shells were bursting. Normoyle was then heard to say “I don’t think we can find each other, return to base.” Thereupon No. 2 climbed through the cloud and returned to base. Flying Control also called up No 1 but No 1 FD546 failed to return to base.”
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/30/96