WWII RAF Battle Of Britain Fighter Ace Christopher Foxley Norris DSO OBE Signed
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:31465926 | Type: Military |
You are looking at a small bookplate / piece signed by the following late great RAF Battle of Britain fighter ace:
Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris GCB DSO OBE FRSA:
Was educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Oxford where he read Greats. He belonged to the University Air Squadron. He was granted a commission in Class 'AA' of the RAFO on 22nd December 1936. He relinquished this on being granted a commission in the RAFVR in December 1938.In 1939 he... won a Harmsworth Scholarship to the Middle Temple. He was called up in early September 1939 and posted to 9 FTS Hullavington.
With his training finished he went to the School of Army Co-operation at Old Sarum and then joined 13 Squadron at Douai in France. Back in England after the collapse of France, he volunteered to serve in Fighter Command and he was posted to 5 OTU Aston Down on 7th September 1940 to convert to Hurricanes. He joined 111 Squadron at RAF Drem on 29th September but this was an error and he went instead to 3 Squadron at RAF Turnhouse on 30th September 1940 and moved to 615 Squadron at RAF Northolt on 19th November. On 26th February 1941 he was attacked by Me109s and shot down in flames from 25000 feet. He baled out, landing near Elmsted, east of Ashford, where he met with an angry reception from the local population who were convinced that he was German. His Hurricane came down at Little Holt Farm.In June 1941 he was posted to CFS Upavon for an instructors course after which he went to 10 FTS Ternhill. He was later posted to Canada, to instruct in the Air Training Scheme. In early 1943 he was posted to Ferry Command, to fly Hudsons across the Atlantic. He was with 143 Squadron at RAF North Coates in mid 1943, flying Beaufighters on anti-shipping duties as a Flight Commander. After being court-martialled for an alleged breach of security and acquitted, he was posted to 252 Squadron in the Middle East.Flying from Cyprus, he was involved in what he described as 'the disastrous and ill-conceived attempt to invade the Aegean islands of Cos and Leros'. On 23rd September 1943 he was promoted wing commander and became C/O of 603 Squadron on convoy patrol and sweeps over the enemy-held Greek islands. The squadron was disbanded at Gambut on 26th December 1944. The personnel sailed from Port Said in the Capetown Castle and arrived at Liverpool on 6th January 1945, then went on to RAF Coltishall. He became C/O of 143 Squadron, then part of the Banff Mosquito Strike Wing. Having exchanged its Beaufighters for the faster, more powerful Mosquitos, the squadron ranged the Skaggerak, Kattegat and Germany's north-western seaboard for naval and other maritime targets. He was awarded the DSO (gazetted 25th September 1945) the same month that he was granted a permanent commission.His postwar service began with a spell at HQ 2 Group and a course at RAF Staff College. In 1948 he was posted as C/O of the Oxford University Air Squadron before returning in 1951 to the Staff College as a member of the directing staff. Then in 1953 he went to the Far East, where he served through the Malayan Emergency on the planning staff of HQ Far East, Singapore. After three years he returned to the UK, taking up planning duties at HQ Fighter Command and then commanding fighter stations at Stradishall, Suffolk, and (from 1958) West Malling in Kent. In 1960 he was called to the Air Ministry as director of organisation and administrative plans, moving up three years later to become Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (General). The next year he was promoted Air Vice-Marshal and returned to the Far East as air officer commanding 224 Group, which comprised a force of fighters, bombers, helicopters and flying-boats supporting the Army in the campaign known as the Indonesian Confrontation. He returned to the UK again in 1967 as director of RAF organisation for a year until being appointed commander-in-chief Germany and commander of Nato's 2nd TAF. Finally, he served as chief of personnel and logistics from 1971 to 1974 before retiring on 22nd April 1974 as an Air Chief Marshal.
He passed away in September 2003.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book especially his book 'A Lighter Shade of Blue' .
Please note the small bookplate is not attached / glued to larger picture of Christopher Foxley-Norris
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris GCB DSO OBE FRSA:
Was educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Oxford where he read Greats. He belonged to the University Air Squadron. He was granted a commission in Class 'AA' of the RAFO on 22nd December 1936. He relinquished this on being granted a commission in the RAFVR in December 1938.In 1939 he... won a Harmsworth Scholarship to the Middle Temple. He was called up in early September 1939 and posted to 9 FTS Hullavington.
With his training finished he went to the School of Army Co-operation at Old Sarum and then joined 13 Squadron at Douai in France. Back in England after the collapse of France, he volunteered to serve in Fighter Command and he was posted to 5 OTU Aston Down on 7th September 1940 to convert to Hurricanes. He joined 111 Squadron at RAF Drem on 29th September but this was an error and he went instead to 3 Squadron at RAF Turnhouse on 30th September 1940 and moved to 615 Squadron at RAF Northolt on 19th November. On 26th February 1941 he was attacked by Me109s and shot down in flames from 25000 feet. He baled out, landing near Elmsted, east of Ashford, where he met with an angry reception from the local population who were convinced that he was German. His Hurricane came down at Little Holt Farm.In June 1941 he was posted to CFS Upavon for an instructors course after which he went to 10 FTS Ternhill. He was later posted to Canada, to instruct in the Air Training Scheme. In early 1943 he was posted to Ferry Command, to fly Hudsons across the Atlantic. He was with 143 Squadron at RAF North Coates in mid 1943, flying Beaufighters on anti-shipping duties as a Flight Commander. After being court-martialled for an alleged breach of security and acquitted, he was posted to 252 Squadron in the Middle East.Flying from Cyprus, he was involved in what he described as 'the disastrous and ill-conceived attempt to invade the Aegean islands of Cos and Leros'. On 23rd September 1943 he was promoted wing commander and became C/O of 603 Squadron on convoy patrol and sweeps over the enemy-held Greek islands. The squadron was disbanded at Gambut on 26th December 1944. The personnel sailed from Port Said in the Capetown Castle and arrived at Liverpool on 6th January 1945, then went on to RAF Coltishall. He became C/O of 143 Squadron, then part of the Banff Mosquito Strike Wing. Having exchanged its Beaufighters for the faster, more powerful Mosquitos, the squadron ranged the Skaggerak, Kattegat and Germany's north-western seaboard for naval and other maritime targets. He was awarded the DSO (gazetted 25th September 1945) the same month that he was granted a permanent commission.His postwar service began with a spell at HQ 2 Group and a course at RAF Staff College. In 1948 he was posted as C/O of the Oxford University Air Squadron before returning in 1951 to the Staff College as a member of the directing staff. Then in 1953 he went to the Far East, where he served through the Malayan Emergency on the planning staff of HQ Far East, Singapore. After three years he returned to the UK, taking up planning duties at HQ Fighter Command and then commanding fighter stations at Stradishall, Suffolk, and (from 1958) West Malling in Kent. In 1960 he was called to the Air Ministry as director of organisation and administrative plans, moving up three years later to become Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (General). The next year he was promoted Air Vice-Marshal and returned to the Far East as air officer commanding 224 Group, which comprised a force of fighters, bombers, helicopters and flying-boats supporting the Army in the campaign known as the Indonesian Confrontation. He returned to the UK again in 1967 as director of RAF organisation for a year until being appointed commander-in-chief Germany and commander of Nato's 2nd TAF. Finally, he served as chief of personnel and logistics from 1971 to 1974 before retiring on 22nd April 1974 as an Air Chief Marshal.
He passed away in September 2003.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book especially his book 'A Lighter Shade of Blue' .
Please note the small bookplate is not attached / glued to larger picture of Christopher Foxley-Norris
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
