Norman TaylorDFC,DFM,AE (October 1919 – 29 April 1948) was a British flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with having shot down at least seven aircraft.
Born in Chellaston, Taylor was an apprentice at the Standard Motor Company and member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at the time he was called up for service with the RAF in September 1939, following the outbreak of the Second World War. Once his training was completed, he was posted to No. 601 Squadron in August 1940. He flew through the later stages of the Battle of Britain and in the early phase of the Circus offensive the following year, during which he claimed several aerial victories. He was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his successes. He was posted to the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit in July 1941. He made several voyages aboard a CAM ship without seeing action until, on 1 November 1942, he intercepted and destroyed a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condormaritime patrol aircraft. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this exploit, he spent much of the remainder of the war as a test pilot for Rolls-Royce. Remaining in the RAF in the postwar period, he was killed in a flying accident in Germany on 29 April 1948.
Later in September, No. 601 Squadron was shifted to Exeter for a rest following its hectic service in the aerial campaign over southeast England. After three months, it returned to the south of England, being stationed at Northolt.[4]
Circus offensive
Taylor was rested for several weeks from December 1940 to February 1941, before returning to operations with No. 601 Squadron which, since early 1941, had been engaged in RAF Fighter Command's Circus offensive. It was now using the Hurricane Mk II, having begun to reequip with the type soon after arriving at Northolt.[2][4] Taylor destroyed one Bf 109 and damaged a second over Calais on 25 May while on a sortie to France. He shot down a pair of Bf 109s off Dover on 13 June. Three days later he damaged a Bf 109 off Cap Gris-Nez and shortly afterwards was commissioned as a pilot officer on 19 June.[5][6][7] He concluded his tour of operations at the end of June.[1] He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal, in recognition of his successes prior to his promotion. The citation, published in The London Gazette read:
This airman pilot has taken part in numerous offensive operations and patrols. during which he has destroyed at least 4 and damaged other enemy aircraft. He has at all times shown great keenness and determination to engage the enemy.
Taylor was posted to the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit at Speke, which operated Sea Hurricane fighters from catapult aircraft merchant ships, known as CAM ships, sailing as part of a convoy. When long-range German aircraft were sighted, the Sea Hurricanes would be launched to attempt an interception; the pilot would then bail out afterwards and hope to be picked up by a vessel of the convoy.[3] After a period of training, Taylor made his first operational voyage on a Cam ship, sailing aboard the Empire Rowan for Halifax in November. He was subsequently based at Gibraltar for a time.[2]
Taylor, who had been promoted to flying officer on 19 June 1942,[9][10] made several voyages without being scrambled. On 1 November, he was launched from the Empire Heath to attempt an interception of a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condormaritime patrol aircraft that had been sighted near the convoy, around 400 kilometres (250mi) off the west coast of Spain. He successfully drove it off and shot the Fw 200 down into the Atlantic. Taylor, once he had bailed out, was collected by HMS Sweetbriar, a corvette of the Royal Navy.[1][5] For his efforts, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The published citation read:
In November, 1942, this officer was the pilot of an aircraft launched by catapult from a ship in convoy in the Atlantic Ocean, to engage a Focke Wulfe 200. Displaying great skill, Flying Officer Taylor intercepted and drove off the enemy aircraft before it could deliver an attack on any of the ships in the convoy. Despite adverse weather and in the face of strong opposing fire, he succeeded in destroying the enemy aircraft from close range. His courageous and skilful work earned the admiration of officers of the ships in the convoy who witnessed the operation.
In April 1943 Taylor was assigned to the Rolls-Royce facility at Derby as a test pilot. Promoted to flight lieutenant on 19 June, he continued testing duties with Rolls-Royce until the end of the war.[1][12] A recipient of the Air Efficiency Award for his service with the RAFVR, he was credited with the destruction of seven German aircraft, one of which being shared with other pilots. He was also credited with four aircraft, including one shared, as damaged.[13][2]
Postwar career
Opting to remain in the RAF in the postwar period, Taylor's period of service was extended by four years from December 1945.[14] He served with No. 222 Squadron, which operated Gloster Meteor jet fighters from Fairwood Common. He was involved in the 1946 Victory fly past, flying a Meteor over Buckingham Palace.[1][15]
Taylor later served in Germany, based at the RAF station at Gütersloh from January 1948. On 29 April 1948, he was flying a Harvard on instrument practice when he crashed the aircraft while attempting a landing at Wunstorf. Both Taylor and his passenger were killed. Survived by two children and his wife of five years, who later gave birth to a third child, he is buried at Munster Heath Military Cemetery in Germany.[1][2]
Rawlings, John (1976). Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: MacDonald & James. ISBN0-354-01028-X.
Shores, Christopher; Williams, Clive (1994). Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII. London: Grub Street. ISBN1-8-9869-7000.
Wynn, Kenneth G. (2015). Men of the Battle of Britain: A Biographical Directory of the Few. Barnsley: Frontline Books. ISBN978-1-39901-465-6.