Munster Express January 5th, 1945: DEATH OF MR. JAMES NORRIS. It was with sincere regret that the death in England on Friday last of Mr. James, (Doc) Norris (20), Ard Mhuire, Ferrybank, was heard throughout Ferrybank and district. A popular young man, deceased was a well known P. H. Pearse hurler. He was the son of Mr. John Norris, a member of the composing room staff of Messrs. G. D. Croker and Mrs Norris. He was brother of Mr. Maurice (Buddy) Norris, another P H Pearse hurler; Miss Gretta Norris, Ard Mhuire; Mr. Sean Norris a member of the Defence Forces; and nephew of Mr. J. Norris, a former m ember of Waterford Corporation.. The remains of the late James Norris arrived by the 1.30 p.m. train ex-Kingsbridge at Waterford on Thursday and were met by a large and representative concourse of friends and sympathisers, which was indicative of the esteem and regard in which the late Mr. Norris was held. The coffin was borne by playing members of the P.H. Hurling and Football Club to the waiting hearse, and many beautiful floral tributes were placed on the coffin. The funeral, accompanied by Very Rev. E. Canon Brennan, P.P., V.F., and Rev. P. Hally, C.C., do. took place to the Church of the Sacred Heart, Ferrybank, and following the last prayers at the church, the interment took place in the family burial grounds. To the bereaved parents, brothers and sisters we tender our sincere sympathy.—R.I.P. |
The Flight Engineer was 1895870 Sgt. Philip Arthur Lake. He had been despatching bundles of Window through the Window chute in the nose at the time when the pilot commenced a violent corkscrew manoeuvre to evade a second night-fighter attack. He was sucked out of the aircraft's front hatch, which appears to have been damaged during the previous attack. He descended through snow showers with his parachute catching on the tops of pine trees. Unable to climb down he cut the parachute and fell to the ground, hurting his back on a log. He succeeded in getting to Bonn where he was captured and taken to Stalag Luft III, where made three attempts to escape. Eventually he was returned to England. At the time of the crash in England, Sgt. Lake's parents had initially been asked if they wanted him buried with the crew or returned to them. Some days later the CO wrote to them that they could not find him, only parts of his equipment. Some six months later, they finally received a card from him in the PoW camp, confirmed by the Red Cross a week later (PoW number 1895870). He died on 11 February 1999 at Ruan Minor, Helston, Cornwall. |