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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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263
263 Squadron Typhoon Ib JR251 F/O. Norman Peter Blacklock

Operation: Reconnaissance

Date: 05th February 1944 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 263 Squadron (motto: Ex ungue leonem - "One knows the lion by his claws')

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: JR251

Code: HE-?

Base: RAF Beaulieu, Hampshire

Location: English Channel

Pilot: F/O. Norman Peter Blacklock 147757 RAF Age 23. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 21:00 hrs to recce the area between Alderney and Barfleur area. He called saying 'Apples are red' meaning he was going into an attack. An uncertain message was received at 21:25 hrs saying that he was going into the drink.

Fl/Sgt. Cooper who had taken off at 21:25 hrs was vectored to the area of Cap de la Haque who found six E-Boats and reported to his control. They ordered him to 10.000 ft for a fix and then returned to base. Before returning he dive-bombed the ships but made no hits. He landed safely back at base at 22:25 hrs.

No trace of F/O. Blacklock or wreckage was discovered despite ASR searches in the area.

Rear L-R: Robert Bruce Tuff Aus/409257 RAAF (missing 22nd February 1944), Paul Thomas Richard Mercer 127883 RAFVR (missing 24th October 1943), Robert Charles Beaumont 169061 RAFVR (killed 18th August 1944), George H. Wood 1334647 RAFVR, John B. Purkis 158700 RAFVR, John McClure, Ernest Reginald Baker 40660 RAFVR (killed 16th June 1944), Dave Ross, Pete Cooper, Andy Wordsworth (Intelligence Officer).
Seated L-R: Denis Todd, Norman Blacklock, William Edward Watkins 162644 RAFVR, George Williams 150274 RAFVR, Tommy Handley.

Burial details:

F/O. Norman Peter Blacklock. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 204. Born on the 15th of October 1920 in Brentford, London, England. Son of Wiliiam Norman Blacklock and Violet Grace (nèe Veal. - died 1967, age 73) of London, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to National Archive Kew. The tremendous work of 263 Squadron.

KTY 15-12-2023

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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