Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Air Commodore E W Norton


Ernest William              b: 14 May 1893                 r: 24 Feb 1944                   d: 23 May 1966

DSC - 1 Jan 1917, Cwn, O - 8 Feb 1919, CdeG (P) - 5 Apr 1919, CdeG (B) - 15 Jul 1919.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(RN): - Flt Sub-Lt: 25 May 1915, Flt Lt: 30 Jun 1916, Act Flt Cdr: xx xxx 1916, Flt Cdr: 30 Jun 1917, Act Sqn Cdr: xx xxx 1917, Sqn Cdr: 31 Dec 1917.

(RAF): - (T) Maj [Capt]?: 1 Apr 1918, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1925, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1932, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1937.

1915                       Pilot, No 5 Sqn RNAS (Dover).

xx xxx 1916:           Pilot, 'A' Sqn, No 1 Wing RNAS/RNAS Westgate?.

xx xxx 1916:           Pilot, No 6 Sqn RNAS. (Nieuport Scout – Western Front)

30 Jun 1916:           Flight Commander, No 6 Sqn RNAS.

xx xxx xxxx:            Flight Commander, No 1 Wing RNAS

 1 Jul 1917:             Officer Commanding No 12 Sqn RNAS.

15 Sep 1917:          Officer Commanding, No 9 Sqn RNAS.

xx Jan 1918:            ?

27 Jul 1918:            Officer Commanding, No 204 Sqn. (Camel –Dunkirk)

21 Nov 1918:         Officer Commanding, No 204 Sqn. (Camel –Dunkirk)

xx Dec 1918:          Officer Commanding No 65 Wing.

 1 Aug 1919:           Awarded Permanent Commission as a Major

21 Feb 1920:          Staff, School of Technical Training (Boys). 

16 Mar 1920:          Staff, No 1 School of Technical Training (Boys). 

 1 Oct 1923:           CFI?, No 1 FTS.

 5 Dec 1924:           Officer Commanding, No 6 Armoured Car Company.

 1 Dec 1925:           Officer Commanding, No 70 Sqn. (Vernon – Hinaidi)

28 Sep 1926:          Attended RN Staff College, Greenwich.

28 Jul 1927:            Officer Commanding, No 58 Sqn.

 7 Dec 1928:           Staff, RAF Worthy Down.

xx Mar 1929 - 17 Apr 1929:            Officer Commanding (Temporary), RAF Worthy Down.

18 Apr 1929:          Officer Commanding, No 58 Sqn.

18 Aug 1930:          Officer Commanding, RAF Upavon.

23 Jul 1932:            Officer Commanding, No 5 FTS.

15 Feb 1937:          AOA, HQ Coastal Command.

28 Dec 1937:          AOA, HQ RAF Far East.

 7 Sep 1941:           Duty Air Commodore, HQ Fighter Command.

Educated at Modern College, Oswestry, he gained RAeC Certificate No 1476 on 29 July 1915.  On 23 January 1916, he dropped a 16lb bomb on a U-boat, which had been previously attacked by another aircraft, whilst patrolling off Ostende.  During his tour with No 6 (Naval) Squadron he destroyed at least nine enemy machines the first of which was an observation balloon destroyed using Prieur rockets on 20 October 1916, for which he received the DSC.

On arriving in the Far East as AOA, he was immediately thrown into the role of acting AOC?.

Citation for the award of the Distinguished Service Cross

“Flight Lieut. Ernest William Norton, R.N.A.S.

In recognition of his skill and gallantry in destroying a German kite balloon on the -20th October,1916, under severe anti-aircraft fire.”

(London Gazette – 1 January 1917)

This page was last updated on 17/10/22©

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