Date of birth:

August 1st, 1913

Service number:

401226 (Service) / 271799 (POW)

Nationality:

Australian

Before the war Flight Lieutenant Norman Wright, a Wireles Operator/Air Gunner who flew with the RAF 35 Squadron, was a transport driver.
On the night of September 18th 1942 his flight crew were en route to attack a target at Saarbrucken, Germany when their Halifax 1. W7657 was attacked from beneath by an ME.110 over St. Dizier, Marne, France. The attack destroyed the port wing and set the petrol tanks on fire. At around 12,000 feet, he, along with three other crew members managed to escape the burning aircraft, while the Flight Captain and Rear Gunner went down with the plane.

The Crew included:
F/SGT Higgs and F/LT Child were not seen leaving the plane
W/O Marks was killed on impact with the ground (suspect his parachute did not open)
P/O Sawyers captured by the Germans along with Wright.

Taken PoW he was imprisoned (PoW number 27179) at Dulag Luft, Sagam Luft III and Stalag VIIIB.
Wright was liberated by Russian forces from Luckenwalde IIIA on 24th April 1945 and was demobbed on 14 January, 1946

Career/promotions:
Enlisted 4-1-1941
Pilot Oficer 10-12-1942
Flying Officer 1-3-1943
Flight Lieutenant 31-8-1944

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• - Pathfinder Force Correspondence.
  - National Archives of Australia
  - Back to Normandy
  - 156 Squadron RAF
  - Krystl Wright