Norman, Stanley Edmund, Police Constable.

Gunner 854470, 65th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

Paul Watts with thanks to Mick Hall

Remembrance Poppy
Paul Watts

Early Life.

Stanley Edmund Norman was born on the 30th March 1914 at Aldershot, Surrey.

His father, Frederick Norman, was born in 1884 at Potton, Bedfordshire and died in 1939 at Biggleswade.

His mother, Annie Christina McAllister, was born in 1891 at Hale, Surrey and baptised on the 8th February 1891 at St. Marks, Hale and died on the 25th January 1932 at Bedford. She married Frederick on the 12th January 1910 at Hale. Frederick was shown as a Soldier. They had four children:

  1. Frederick Reginald Norman born in 1911 at Farnham and died in 1912 at Biggleswade.
  2. Maggie Christina Norman born in 1912 at Farnham.
  3. Stanley Edmund Norman.
  4. Gwendoline Ada Norman born in 1920 at Biggleswade.

In the 1911 census they were living with Annie’s family at 13, College Road, Heath End, Farnham, Surrey. Frederick is shown as a soldier in the Royal Engineers.

It is highly likely that Frederick Norman served in World War One but unfortunately there is more than one Frederick Norman who served in the Royal Engineers and none of their Service Records have survived. However, from the  Medal Roll Index Cards the most likely one is Driver 15324 who landed in France with the British Expeditionary Force on the 13th December 1914 and was later awarded the 1914 Star and the British War and Victory medals.

Stanley Edmund Norman Army Service.

Stanley’s Army Service Record is held by the Ministry of Defence, but we know from documents that are publicly available that he enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1935 as Gunner 854470 and transferred to the Army Reserve on the 26th March 1938.

Stanley Edmund Norman Police Service And Army Service During WW2.

Stanley’s Police Service Record has not survived and his exact date of appointment to the Hertfordshire Constabulary is not known but it is believed that he joined on leaving the Royal Artillery as a Constable at Watford. The following details have been assembled from the 1939 Register, publicly available Military Records and newspaper articles.

In the 1939 register Stanley is shown as a Hertfordshire Police Constable and lodging with the Hunt family at 34, Highbury Road, Hitchin.

War Office Casualty List 336 of the 17th October 1940 reported that Gunner 854470 Stanley Edmund Norman of the 65th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery had been accidentally killed on the 8th October 1940.

His death certificate states that on the 8th October 1940 at a level crossing at Stratton, Dorset Stanley Edward Norman, aged 26, a Gunner in the 260th Battery, 65th Anti-Tank Regiment stationed at Martinstown, Official No. 845570, Civilian Occupation a Policeman, died from multiple injuries received the same day when the lorry which he was driving in the course of his Army duties came into collision with a moving locomotive at a private level crossing at Stratton, “Misadventure”. Certificate received from P.M. Wickham Deputy Coroner for South Dorset. Inquest held 10th October 1940.

Published in the Bedfordshire Times and Independent on the 18th October 1940 under the headline Funeral Of Mr. S.E. Norman: Mr. Stanley Edmund Norman, only son of the late Mr. and Mrs. F. Norman of Potton. was buried at Potton Cemetery on Saturday, following a service in the Sutton Parish Church conducted by the Rev. W.C. Roberts. He was twenty six and was in the Royal Artillery. Before being called up as a reservist in December 1939 he was a member of the Hertfordshire Police Force, having been stationed at Hitchin and Watford. Before becoming a policemen Mr. Norman was a butcher and had made his home with his sister, Mrs. G. Jeeves of Sutton crossroads. Another sister. Mrs. A.J. Brown, lives at Potton. A contingent of Hertfordshire Police attended the funeral service. In addition, Sergeant Churchill, PC Vincent and PC Copperwheat represented the Bedfordshire Constabulary. The principal mourners were Mrs. M.C. Jeeves and Mrs. G.A. Brown (sisters). Mr. A. Norman and Mr. L. Blam (uncles). Mrs. A. Blam and Mrs. S. Perry (aunts). Mrs. G. Wells (cousin). Miss L. Boston (fiancée). Mr. G. Jeeves (brother-in-law). Mr F. Payne and Mrs. L. Blam senior (friends).

Published in the Biggleswade Chronicle on Friday 18th October 1940 under the headline Local Soldier Killed: Former Potton Resident Mr. Stanley Norman, only son of the late Mr. and Mrs. F. Norman, of Potton, met his death accidentally while serving in the Royal Artillery in the South of England last week. He was buried at Potton on Saturday, following a service at Sutton Church. Mr. Norman was formally in the Hertfordshire Constabulary, being stationed at Hitchin and Watford. He was called up to the Army in December last year. He was in France and came safely through the Dunkirk evacuation. He was a brother of Mrs. G Jeeves, of Sutton crossroads, and of Mrs. A. Brown, of Potton. The Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Police were represented at the funeral. The Hertfordshire representatives were: Inspector Smith and PC’s Turner, Price, and Wray. The Chief Constable Capt. Fairway had to return before the funeral owing to the cortege’s late arrival. The Bedfordshire representatives were: Supt. C. Leist, PS Churchill, PC Vincent and PC Copperwheat. Representing the Special Constabulary were Sergt. Dalton, Constables Compton, Warren and Drew. A military escort accompanied the coffin on its journey from South of England. The Rev. W.H. Roberts, of Sutton, officiated the service at the church and the interment. At the church service the 130th Psalm was recited, and the hymn Brief life is here our portion was snug. The coffin was draped with the Union Jack. The family mourners were: Mrs. M.C. Jeeves and Mrs. G.A. Brown (sisters), Mr. A. Norman. Mr, L. Blam (uncles), Mrs, A. Blam, Mrs. S. Perry (aunts), Mrs. G. Wells (cousin). Miss L. Boston (fiancée), Mr. G. Jeeves (brother-in-law), Mr. F. Payne, Mrs. Blam senior (friend).

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record shows: “In Memory of Gunner Stanley Edmund Norman 845570, 65th (The Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery who died on 8th October 1940. Remembered with Honour Potton Cemetery.” He is buried in Section G Grave 231.

This page was added on 19/08/2020.

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