Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas (Part I)

The Great War D.S.C. group of twelve awarded to Air Commodore E. W. Norton, Royal Air Force, late R.N.A.S., a Nieuport Scout Ace with 9 Victories, who later commanded an Armoured Car Company in Iraq and taught King George VI to fly

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., the reverse hallmarked London 1916; 1914-15 Star (Major E. W. Norton R.A.F.) renamed; British War and Victory Medals (Major E. W. Norton. R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Belgium, Order of the Crown, breast badge in silver and enamels with rosette; Croix de Guerre 1914-18, A.I.R.; France, 3rd Republic, Croix de Guerre 1914-1916, with bronze palm and star; Iraq, Active Service Medal, mounted as worn, very fine or better (12) £4,000-£5,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

View
Collection

D.S.C. London Gazette 1 January, 1917: Flight Lieutenant Ernest William Norton, R.N.A.S.
‘In recognition of his skill and gallantry in destroying a German kite balloon on the 20th October, 1916, under severe anti-aircraft fire.’

Ernest William Norton was born in Scotland on 14 May 1893, and joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915. He had originally enlisted as a Private in the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. As a pilot he flew with 1 Naval Wing and then with 6 Naval Squadron during 1916-17 on Nieuport Scouts, being promoted Flight Lieutenant in July 1916. He was perhaps the most successful pilot with the latter unit during the period and had at least nine victories by the end of April 1917, including seven Albatross Scouts.

His first victory was claimed on October 1916, when he destroyed a kite balloon over Ostende using Le Prieur rockets, for which he was awarded the D.S.C. At this period there was no suitable bullet which would set fire to a kite balloon, and it was decided to employ Le Prieur rockets, a French invention which had been successfully used by the Royal Flying Corps. The rockets were attached to the inter-plane struts, four on each side, and fired electrically by means of a switch, by the pilot. The method of attack was to approach from a height, and, when nearly over the balloon, to dive at full speed, firing the rockets so that they would travel only 300 or 400 feet. The risk of colliding with the balloon itself was an obvious and real danger. The Ostende kite balloon had been first shot down the previous month by Flight Commander C. R. Mackenzie, also using Le Prieur rockets, for which he was awarded the D.S.O.

In 1918 Norton commanded 204 Squadron, Royal Air Force, and was promoted to Squadron Leader. After the War he commanded No. 6 Armoured Car Company , Iraq Command, at Hinaidi, from December 1924. He was promoted Wing Commander in 1925 and took over command of No. 70 Squadron at Hinaidi in December of the same year. Appointed to command No. 58 Squadron, 1927; to command Station H.Q., Upavon, 1930; Group Captain 1932, commanding No. 5 Flying Training School, Chester; Air Commodore 1937; in command Administration H.Q., Far East Command (Singapore), from December 1937; Air Officer commanding No. 29 Group 1942. Air Commodore Norton retired from the Royal Air Force in 1944 having had the honour of teaching King George VI to fly.