Flight Officer Norman Peter Blacklock was a pilot with 263 Squadron RAF, a Typhoon fighter bomber squadron based at RAF Beaulieu from 23 January to 6 April 1944. He was lost in action on February 5, 1944.
This is what I have found out about the incident and is a short memorial to him. If you are a family member or know more about Norman, please do contact me so I can update this record to him.
Flight Officer Norman Peter Blacklock
In the early days of February, 263 Squadron was tasked with dive bombing targets in Northern France and attacking enemy shipping in the English Channel.
On the night of February 5, 1944, F/O Blacklock and F/Sgt Cooper took off as a pair from RAF Beaulieu at 2100 on night shipping recce to Alderney, Guernsey and Cap de la Hague, Northern France. Blacklock was piloting a Hawker Typhoon Mk IB (JR251).
He reported the presence of Class 2 enemy shipping off Cap de la Hague at 2123 and asked for emergency homing. It suggests that he was going into attack.
Nothing more was heard from him except for a weak message over the radio, that possibly said “I am going into the drink”.
A report later written by F/O Wordsworth, intelligence officer for 263 Squadron RAF stated:
“It seems almost certain that F/O Blacklock, who was experience in night attacks, went in to attack one of the ships, and it is likely that his A/C was hit by flak. A.S.R. patrols were flown in the Cap de la Hague area without success by this Squadron on the next day.”
Flight Sergeant Cooper returned safely, landing at RAF Hurn near Bournemouth at 2230. During the sortie he had spotted six German E-boats going west in 2 lines of 3 between Cap de Hague and bombed 300 feet with no results seen and slight tracer flak aimed at him.
Norman’s aircraft and body were never recovered.
He is remembered with honour at Runnymede Memorial. He was 23 years old.