Nelson, Jack Norrin
Personal Information
Rank | F/L |
Forename(s) | Jack Norrin |
Surname | Nelson |
Gender | M |
Age | 25 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 29-12-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Norrin Herman Nelson and Alice Nelson (née Doyle), of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax V |
Serial Number | LK659 |
Markings | SE-A |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Joint grave 7. G. 15-16. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 218 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/5444 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 431 (Iroquois) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Nelson Creek, Saskatchewan |
Country | Canada |
Memorial Type | Creek |
Memorial Text |
Location | Race Control Building, Croft Auto Circuit, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who served at RAF Croft, 1941-1945 including 419 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Roadside Location, A167, Dalton on Tees, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial topped with metal statue |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who served at RAF Croft, 1941-1945 including 419 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Adjacent to A19, Burn, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | A memorial to all those who served on 431 Sqn RCAF at RCAF Burn, 1942-1943 |
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed metal plaques & Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | In memory of all those who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2 including 431 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Old Control Tower, former airfield site, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of all those who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2 including 431 Sqn RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
Jack was born on 16 February 1918 at Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, the son of Norrin Herman Nelson and Alice Nelson (Doyle). They were both born in the USA, Alice in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (deceased by the time of Jack's enlistment) and Norrin in Harmony, Minnesota who worked as a garage operator. He had one married sister. The schools he attended were Lipton Public 1924-1926, Prince Edward Public 1926-1931, Tisdale High School 1931-1934, Saskatoon 1938-1939, studying arc and gas welding. He then went to Saskatchewan university during 1939 where he studied Diesel Engjneering. His sporting interests were swimming, diving, hockey and baseball. Jack worked at the Northern Settlers Re-establishment Board, Regina as a Diesel engine operator and as a mechanic between 1938. -1939. |
He enlisted on 13 September 1940 at Regina and after training was posted to the U.K. He is shown as arriving at 3PRC on 22 July 1943 followed by 23 OTU on 17 August 1943, 1664 C U 14 October 1943 and then 431 Squadron on 23 November 1943. Sadly Jack was to lose his life on 29 December 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1857/16 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1857/15 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 29-12-1943 |
End Date | 30-12-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Croft |
Day/Night Raid | Night (11% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 712 aircraft, 20 losses (2.8%). Three diversionary raids (Düsseldorf, Leipzig and Magdeburg) together with poor weather on the approach, caused enough disruption to prevent many night-fighters intercepting the main force. Berlin was again cloud-covered. The local report and Bomber Command's own report are at odds regarding the concentration of the attack. 182 people were killed on the ground and a further 10000 were bombed out of their homes but otherwise, little significant damage was caused. |
Reason for Loss |