| Norman Cyril Jackson | |
|---|---|
| 8 April 1919 – 26 March 1994 | |
| Place of birth | Ealing, Middlesex, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1939 – ? |
| Rank | Warrant Officer |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Norman Cyril Jackson VC (8 April 1919 – 26 March 1994) was a sergeant in the Royal Air Force who won the Victoria Cross during a bombing raid on Schweinfurt in April 1944. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Ealing is a Town in the London Borough of Ealing. It is a Suburban development situated 7 Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since Schweinfurt ( German for Swine ford) is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Born in Ealing, Jackson joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1939 and originally served as an engine fitter. Ealing is a Town in the London Borough of Ealing. It is a Suburban development situated 7 Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He retrained as a flight engineer and on July 28, 1943 he joined No. 106 Squadron which operated Avro Lancaster bombers. In Aviation, a flight engineer is a member of the aircrew of some Aircraft. Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. No 106 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron during the second world war equipped with Avro Manchesters and Avro Lancasters in 1942 when Guy Gibson, "Lanc" redirects here Distinguish from Lank (adjective and from Amon Lanc (a place in Tolkien's fiction A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them
Jackson completed his tour of 30 missions on April 24, 1944 but, as he had flown one sortie with a different crew, he chose to fly once more so that his original aircrew finished their tour together. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit be it of Aircraft, Ship or in older times of columns of troops from a fort Jackson's 31st mission took place on the night of April 26-27, 1944, when his crew flew in a raid on the German ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated A ball bearing is an engineering term referring to a type of Rolling-element bearing which uses Balls to maintain the separation between the moving parts
Having bombed the target, Jackson's Lancaster was attacked by a German night fighter and a fuel tank in the starboard wing caught fire. A night fighter (also all-weather fighter) is a Fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility Starboard is the nautical term that refers to the right side of a vessel as perceived by a person on board a vessel and facing the bow (front Jackson, already wounded from shell splinters, strapped on a parachute and equipped himself with a fire extinguisher before climbing out of the aircraft and onto the fuselage, whilst the aeroplane was flying at 200 mph, in order to put out the fire. A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. A fire extinguisher is an Active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires often in emergency situations The fuselage (from the French fuselé "spindle-shaped" is an Aircraft 's main body section that holds crew and passengers or Cargo His parachute partially opened causing him to slip out onto the wing. A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. As he passed through the fire he sustained serious burns before falling 20,000 feet to the ground with a partially opened and burning parachute.
He suffered further injuries upon landing, but managed to crawl to a nearby German village where he was paraded through the street. He spent 10 months recovering in hospital before being transferred to the Stalag Kc prisoner of war camp. He made two escape attempts, the second of which was successful as he made contact with a unit of the US Third Army. United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army was a field army of the United States Army.
Jackson was promoted to Warrant Officer and his Victoria Cross award was gazetted on 26 October 1945. A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar In April of 2004 Jackson's VC medal was sold at auction for £235,250 (GBP). "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency
References
- British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
- Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
External links
- Burial location of Norman Jackson "Middlesex"
- News item "Norman Jackson's Victoria Cross sold at auction"
- Norman Jackson
- Norman Jackson on Find-A-Grave
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