Derham, Norman
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Norman |
Surname | Derham |
Gender | M |
Age | 25 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 21-07-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Thomas and Annie Derham, of Bradford, Yorkshire. Husband of Ivy Rose Derham. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster I |
Serial Number | ME858 |
Markings | JI-J |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Hunsel RC Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Grave 4. |
Epitaph | HE GAVE HIS LIFE HE DID HIS BEST GOD GRANT HIS SOUL ETERNAL REST |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 155 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1896733 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 514 |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Church of St. John the Evangelist, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial and RoH |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 514 Sqn who served at RAF Waterbeach 1943-1945 |
Miscellaneous Information
German soldiers tried to take the bodies of the crew but the vicar of Hunsel would not allow them to. He stood his ground with the locals' support and gave them a Christian burial. The locals visited the graves frequently, and in reprisal the German soldiers destroyed a major part of the church. This has since been rebuilt. A memorial made from parts of the Lancaster has since been erected and every year the church and locals hold a memorial service for them. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1981/32 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1978/1 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 20-07-1944 |
End Date | 21-07-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Waterbeach |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Homberg- Meerbeck oil plant. 158 aircraft (149 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes) of which 20 Lancasters were downed, mainly due to night-fighter activity. Caused severe damage to the plant, resulting in output dropping from 6000 tones of fuel per day to as little as 120. The 8th Air Force also hit this target. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed SW of Hunsel, Holland- close to the Belgian border. |