Norman Worsley Richardson DFC (1915 - 1942)

Ancestors

Biography

Norman Worsley Richardson was born on the 15th November 1916, in Mosman, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, the second son of Worsley Richardson and Elsie Margaret Tingcombe.^[1]

📜Norman was awarded the DFC in 1942 for his part in an attack on enemy shipping. His citation for the award of DFC is as follows:

On 12 February 1942 PO Richardson was detailed to participate in an attack on the German battle cruisers passing through the Straits of Dover. In spite of extremely adverse weather conditions PO Richardson displaying great perseverance, finally located the objective off the Belgian coast.. Whilst manoeuvring to attack the Gneisenau in the face of a terrific barrage, PO Richardson was wounded in the arm by a fragment of shell. In spite of this he continued to press home his attack and diving to 400 feet, released his bombs which were observed to fall just in front of the cruiser. Although the aircraft was again hit by ack-ack fire, PO Richardson flew his aircraft safely back to base. (London Gazette 3/3/1942, P1012)

This was followed by the account also being published in the Australian press, as following article from Melbourne's Argus shows.

🗟 D F C TO AUSTRALIAN PILOT
    Attack on German Ships
PIt.-Off. Norman Worsley Richardson, an Empire Air Scheme trainee, of Queensland, has been awarded the DFC for his part in attacking the escaping German battle cruiser Gncisenau, "in the face of a terrific barrage."
This was revealed in a special despatch from RAAF HQ In London to Mr. Drakeford, Air Minister, last night. The official citation stated that Plt.-Off. Richardson set a splendid example of courage and determination during the attack on the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen as they were escaping last month from Brest to Kiel. Displaying great perseverance Plt.-Off. Richardson located the ships off the Belgian coast, and pressed home his attacks. While manoeuvring to attack Gneisenau, he was wounded in the arm by a fragment of shell. Undeterred he flew on and dived to 400ft. to release his bombs, which fell just in front of Gneisenau's bow. Although his aircraft was twice hit by anti-aircraft fire he flew safely to his base.^[2]

Flying Officer Norman Worsley Richardson DFC was Killed In Action over Germany on the 6th May 1942, just a short while after being Wounded In the Action that earned him the DFC. He was 26 years five months two weeks six days old.^[3]
Originally listed as "lost without trace", Norman was eventually buried in a group grave in the Rheinberg British Military Cemetery, Germany, after first being buried elsewhere.^[4]

For quite some time there was confusion regards the whereabouts of the bodies of Norman and his crew. Eventually, after a lengthy investigation, it was discovered that the bodies had been recovered by the (local) Germans and buried in their cemetery at Olzheim Churchyard. When later exhumed, it was impossible to tell which body was which, so the decision was to reinter them together. This news was communicated to Norman's father in July of 1948.^[5]

The members of Norman's crew, with whom he shares the grave, were: P/O Alan George Hersey, son of Arthur William and Florence Hersey; Husband of Phyllis Aline Hersey, of Finchley, Middlesex (aged 30), Sgt Thomas Freer Macgregor-King, son of Freer Barnes King and Isabella Mary King, of Echunga, South Australia (aged 24), Sgt Herbert John Ody, son of Herbert and Mary Ody and husband of Margaret Jessie Ody, of Hove, Sussex (aged 26), and Sgt Edward Frederick Webb, son of Frederick and Edith May Webb, of Upminster, Essex (aged 20).^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ NSW BDM Births Registration details: Name: RICHARDSON NORMAN W; Registration Number: 49039/1916; Father's Given Name(s): WORSLEY; Mother's Given Name(s): ELSIE M; District: MOSMAN
2. ↑ National Library of Australia Trove: Page 3 The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wed 4 Mar 1942 D F C TO AUSTRALIAN PILOT
3. ↑ QLD BDM Death Registration details: 1943/S/1223
4. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Commission online search: Norman Worsley Richardson
5. ↑ National Archives of Australia records search: Norman Worsley Richardson (page 13)
6. ↑ International Bomber Command Centre: Richardson, Norman Worsley

• BDM Registrations.