FORCES IN THE SKY

About the Book

It is 1940. The world is at war with Germany and the New Zealand Government is only now calling for volunteer men and women to come forward in aid of the war effort. “You are restless after the tough times of the 1930 depression era. Now is your opportunity to serve your country and possibly have ‘adventures’ out in the wider world. You have to be prepared to take orders, to deal with hardships in extreme conditions and hope that luck is on your side…. all for a cause to protect the freedom of the life you and others live in New Zealand.” If that’s not the ultimate description of a selfless act, I don’t know what is… This is the story of Flying Office Raymond George Norton, who left the safety of his home country, New Zealand after joining the RNZAF in 1940, and his many comrades who perished along the road whilst training, supporting army and navy and fighting the enemy in the skies. On that journey, he ventures to Canada, Ireland, England, Scotland and finally France and Europe as the war is coming to an end. Along the way he experiences many desperate encounters, life-threatening misadventures and barriers in extreme conditions in the sky and on the ground. The fact that he survived is a miracle in itself! The author wishes to acknowledge the courageous and brave young men who lost their lives for the cause as he recounts his and their experiences in the skies during the war. Lest We Forget.

About the Author

Flying Officer, Raymond G. Norton NZ.41649, 488 Squadron (RNZAF) was born in 1915 and signed up to defend his country at the age of twenty-five years. Following initial flight training, he left New Zealand in 1941 as a participant in The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and sailed to Canada where he continued his flight training in Cessna Cranes and Lysanders in often freezing conditions in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was then posted to Ireland, England and Scotland in 1943 where he trained in Beauforts, Beaufighters, and Mosquitoes. In 1945 he joined No. 488 NZ Squadron, (night fighter/flyer) based at Gilze Rijen, Holland, near Amiens-Glisy, France. Now, in a prepared and heightened state of readiness to “finally fight the enemy” in the night skies, the finishing line was fast approaching. “488 Squadron, originally formed in 1941, was just getting into its stride when news came of disbandment.” After surviving many life threatening ‘close shaves’ whilst flying in the prior four years, the end of his career goal to ‘join the action’ fighting the enemy in the night skies was cut short by just five days when the Germans surrendered on May 7, 1945. He was fortunate enough to survive. Many didn’t!