Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Leading Aircraftman A. Norburgson, Royal Air Force, who served at R.A.F. Manston in Kent during the Battle of Britain

Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (245165. L.A.C. A. Norburgson. R.A.F.) extremely fine (3) £120-£160

Alfred ‘Alf’ Norburgson was born at Old Ford, London, on 25 March 1900, the son of wood machinist Alfred Norburgson. Educated at Roman Road School in Bow, he was borne on the books of the Royal Naval Air Service from 3 January 1918 and was posted to R.N.A.S. Tregantle in Cornwall. Transferred to the Royal Air Force as Private 2nd Class on 31 March 1918, he married Ada Edith Cookson on 29 July 1928. A contemporary local newspaper takes up the story:

‘Young Wife’s Grief - Airman’s Tragic Discovery: Pathetic Inquest Story.
The pathetic story of a young wife’s depression following the failure of an operation which she hoped would enable her to bear children was related to the Deputy Coroner (Mr. E. C. Allfree) at an inquest at Ramsgate Police Station on Wednesday.

The inquest was on Mrs. Ada Edith Norburgson, aged 31, wife of Leading Aircraftman Alfred Norburgson, of 35 Crescent-road, Ramsgate. When Mr. Norburgson returned home from Manston camp on Tuesday afternoon he detected a smell of gas in his flat. Opening the scullery door, he found his wife lying on the floor with her head resting on an apron in the gas oven.’

Under the stress of deep emotion, Norburgson confirmed his role at No. 3 School of Technical Training (Manston) and the failure of an operation to his wife at Halton Hospital in April 1935. Sent to Shorncliffe Hospital for ‘nerve treatment’ her mental health never recovered; the scene was further darkened by a goodbye letter written by the deceased to her husband pleading for his forgiveness.

In the following three years Norburgson remarried and is recorded as living with Ada Alice Smith and her parents at 109 Crescent Road, Ramsgate. Listed as ‘R.A.F. Corporal 245165 No. 3 S. of T. T.’ in the 1939 census, he was present at Manston when the airfield sat firmly on the front line of the Battle of Britain. Heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe, Manston also served as the departure point for six Fairey Swordfish aircraft in 1942 as they attempted to engage the Prinz Eugen, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau; an operation known later as the Channel Dash.

Having survived tragedy and war, Norburgson caught the attention of The Thanet Echo and Advertiser on 20 August 1948 when his father-in-law, 77-year-old Samuel Edward Smith, was found dead in a gas-filled scullery following the passing of his much loved wife:
‘Alfred Norburgson said deceased lived with him and his wife. On Friday, deceased had dinner about 1.30pm and then retired to bed. Witness and his wife went out at 3pm and when they arrived back just over two hours later they noticed a strong smell of gas. In the scullery they found deceased lying on the floor with his head resting on a cushion placed on the edge of the open oven. The gas was fully on.’