Having come to A&AEE Boscombe Down with the Fairey Delta project in 1951, Norman helped to establish the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Boscombe Down Branch during the 1950’s, served on the Branch committee for many years and more recently acted as Vice Chair of the Branch.
Subsequently he helped organise a wide range of lectures and visits such as the 2014 visit to the WWII Bunker at Uxbridge. He kept meticulous records of Branch lectures and activities. Norman also linked his RAeS Branch work with the development of the Boscombe Down Archive (now at BDAC Old Sarum) and through this helped answer many historic queries the Branch has received over the years. He also helped with pictures to produce the first Branch Calendar.
After retirement Norman continued to support Branch activities giving numerous lectures across a range of subjects. A few years ago he delivered a lecture on early aviation in Wiltshire and there was much delight by his use of a slide projector rather than modern IT.
Norman also took an active part in promoting the Branch at Boscombe Down events held over the years and gave talks on the history of the airfield until very recently.
The Branch was delighted to support Norman in his most recent endeavours to get visibility of wartime Spitfire production in Salisbury by hosting the premier of the documentary film at Boscombe Down together with a more recent talk on the campaign to provide a lasting reminder of the endeavour with the Spitfire replica memorial at Hudson’s Field.
We will miss his enthusiasm and encyclopaedic knowledge but he leaves a lasting legacy with us.
Thank you Norman.
