Sergeant, RAFVR
Born: 20 November 1919
Died: 30 May 1942
Age at Death: 22
Presumed killed on active service, 30 May 1942
Derek Normington was born on 20 November 1919 in Richmond, Surrey, to Florence and Alfred Normington, an insurance broker. After leaving the College in 1936 he served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
By 1942, Normington was attached to 156 Squadron, based at RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, as a wireless operator and air gunner. On the night of 30 May 1942 he took part in the first of the famous ‘thousand bomber raids’ on Germany, attacking Cologne. The majority of the bombers, including Normington’s own machine, were Wellingtons. Normington’s plane failed to return and he was reported missing, presumed killed on active service. Writing to Walter Hett, Head Master of the College, his father said:
I can assure you it is the worst tragedy of my life, which I feel acutely.
The Germans confirmed later that year that he had been killed and he is buried in the Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery in the Netherlands.