shaun
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by shaun on Jun 23, 2014 9:01:50 GMT 12
Hi Folks , im new to this forum and based in the UK .
I am working on a very exciting project here in the UK which has got me researching a New Zealand WW2 pilot called Charles Norman Gall , I know he was born in 1920 and died in 1971. I believe he joined the RNZAF about 1941.
Are any of you guys able to help ? I'm after any info on this chap , as well as any possible contact with members of his family and photographs of the chap and his aircraft .
Many thanks shaun
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Post by angelsonefive on Jun 23, 2014 11:17:33 GMT 12
Flight-Lieutenant C.N. Gall DFC RNZAF haled from Ngaruawahia, NZ, and served with 486 (NZ) Squadron. He enlisted in March, 1941. He was one of a group of NZ pilots interviewed by the BBC. A recording could still exist.
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Post by errolmartyn on Jun 23, 2014 11:46:41 GMT 12
Shaun,
From Colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999:
GALL, Flight Lieutenant Charles Norman, DFC, mid. NZ411492 & 130739; Born Ngaruawahia, 10 Aug 1920; NZ Army/TF Feb to Dec 1938; RNZAF 2 Mar 1941 to 8 Jul 1946; Pilot. Later Flt Lt C N Gall, DFC, mid, RAF 20 Sep 1947 to 20 Sep 1951, 59615. Citation Distinguished Flying Cross (6 Nov 1944): [63 Sqn RAF (Mustang/Spitfire)] Flying Officer Gall has taken part in many operational sorties, including several photographic reconnaissances. His tenacity, skill and courage have been at all times outstanding and he has achieved some excellent results. On one occasion recently, Flying Officer Gall was forced to leave his aircraft by parachute when over France. [*] Despite this trying experience he has continued to display undiminished enthusiasm for operational flying. [*] On 8 Jun 1944 while flying a Spitfire. Citation Mention in Despatches (1 Jan 1946): For distinguished service and devotion to duty. Served two tours, the first with 486 Sqn RNZAF and the second with 63 Sqn. Member of the ‘Caterpillar Club’. Died Warkworth, 1 Jun 1971.
Shaun, out of curiosity what is the nature of your project and what is Gall's connection with it?
Errol
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shaun
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by shaun on Jun 23, 2014 18:20:12 GMT 12
Flight-Lieutenant C.N. Gall DFC RNZAF hailed from Ngaruawahia, NZ, and served with 486 (NZ) Squadron. He enlisted in March, 1941. He was one of a group of NZ pilots interviewed by the BBC. A recording could still exist. Blimey that's great if he was interviewed very exciting ! Any idea of the rough date of the interview ? War time or after he retired ? Thanks for the info
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shaun
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by shaun on Jun 23, 2014 18:28:05 GMT 12
Shaun, From Colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999: GALL, Flight Lieutenant Charles Norman, DFC, mid. NZ411492 & 130739; Born Ngaruawahia, 10 Aug 1920; NZ Army/TF Feb to Dec 1938; RNZAF 2 Mar 1941 to 8 Jul 1946; Pilot. Later Flt Lt C N Gall, DFC, mid, RAF 20 Sep 1947 to 20 Sep 1951, 59615. Citation Distinguished Flying Cross (6 Nov 1944): [63 Sqn RAF (Mustang/Spitfire)] Flying Officer Gall has taken part in many operational sorties, including several photographic reconnaissances. His tenacity, skill and courage have been at all times outstanding and he has achieved some excellent results. On one occasion recently, Flying Officer Gall was forced to leaveErrol his aircraft by parachute when over France. [*] Despite this trying experience he has continued to display undiminished enthusiasm for operational flying. [*] On 8 Jun 1944 while flying a Spitfire. Citation Mention in Despatches (1 Jan 1946): For distinguished service and devotion to duty. Served two tours, the first with 486 Sqn RNZAF and the second with 63 Sqn. Member of the ‘Caterpillar Club’. Died Warkworth, 1 Jun 1971. Shaun, out of curiosity what is the nature of your project and what is Gall's connection with it? Errol thanks for the info, some info I knew but also some new bits . I'm researching F/O Gall as I believe I have found the family that helped him in 1944 after he bailed out of his aircraft . More re will be revealed soon
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Post by errolmartyn on Jun 23, 2014 19:25:10 GMT 12
Shaun,
Gall is also recorded in Paul Sortehaug's 'The wild winds : the history of number 486 RNZAF Fighter Squadron with the RAF.'
Errol
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Post by angelsonefive on Jun 23, 2014 19:52:06 GMT 12
Shaun,
My information re. Norman Gall comes from the book " Tempest Pilot " by Sqdn-Ldr C. J. Sheddan DFC RNZAF with Norman Franks, pub. by Grubb Street London 1993.
The book contains two pictures of Norman Gall. The first is a group photo of pilots standing in front of a Hawker Typhoon. The other shows Gall and three other 486 pilots, Robert Dall ( an Australian ), A.E. Umbers, and M.O. Jorgensen, with BBC broadcaster Ms Noni Wright. The picture is attributed to the RNZAF, so you could try the Air Force Museum at Wigram to see if they have a copy and a date.
It must have been taken in England before 16/9/43 when Murray Jorgensen was killed in action.
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shaun
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by shaun on Jun 24, 2014 9:48:33 GMT 12
Folks thanks for taking the time to post all this information , lots more leads etc . It's much appreciated
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2014 16:29:37 GMT 12
Shaun
I just read your post - if you would like to email me on lhill@clear.net.nz I can give you contact details of a pilot who actually flew with Gall - you could talk to him on the phone
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rgall
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by rgall on Jan 17, 2015 21:02:00 GMT 12
Folks thanks for taking the time to post all this information , lots more leads etc . It's much appreciated
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rgall
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 2
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Post by rgall on Jan 17, 2015 21:08:38 GMT 12
Hello Shaun
i came across your post when I was searching the web I am Norman Galls son Richard
I was quite young when he died so did not know a lot about my Dads war history as he never discussed it with it.
I would love to talk with you further especially about the family that helped dad .
My brother and I are the only family left and are based in Australia
i would love to hear from you
kind regards
richard gall
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Post by thomarse on Jan 18, 2015 11:02:27 GMT 12
The book contains two pictures of Norman Gall. The first is a group photo of pilots standing in front of a Hawker Typhoon. The other shows Gall and three other 486 pilots, Robert Dall ( an Australian ), A.E. Umbers, and M.O. Jorgensen, with BBC broadcaster Ms Noni Wright. The picture is attributed to the RNZAF, so you could try the Air Force Museum at Wigram to see if they have a copy and a date.
Interesting......... my next-door neighbour some years back was an Australian, Bob Dall. Don't know where he went.
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Post by angelsonefive on Jan 18, 2015 17:38:17 GMT 12
F/L Robert Dall DFC RNZAF was killed in a flying accident in Germany on 4/7/45.
More info. here : ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 169727
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angel
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by angel on May 13, 2016 6:51:18 GMT 12
Hi I am the daughter of Frank (Spud) Murphy who also flew with Norman Gall in 486 Squadron. My father went on to be a test pilot and stayed in the aviation industry. He died in 1997. I'm currently preparing a photographic book about him and his exploits for the family so I have digitised various photographs some of which show Norman Gall. I also have a newspaper clipping that has a great photo of Norman Gall (sitting next to Bob Dall) being interviewed by Noni Wright - and another showing my father being interviewed. The newspaper (New Zealand Herald) is dated 4 September 1943. I was also planning to contact the BBC to see if the sound recording still exists. Has anyone already pursued this ?
Happy to share my digital files. I'm going to put some of them on my website when I have finished.
Angela Bailey
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Post by isc on May 13, 2016 20:42:07 GMT 12
It's unlikely that there is any recording of the BBC broadcast, my dad as an LAC radar mechanic did a similar broadcast from the BBC, and it was on one of the 16 rpm wax discs, these discs were an aluminium disc with a coating of hard wax, and were used (in NZ) up to about the mid 1950s, the old radio serials were on them too. After the recording had done what was needed, the disc was heated, and resurfaced with wax, ready to record again. When the NZBS got it's first tape recorders (Mirrorvox paper tape recorders), some discs were re-recorded. I think theres a photo of dad at the BBC, and I think every serviceman that did the broadcast got one. isc
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Post by chocksin on Jan 29, 2021 22:10:09 GMT 12
I stumbled across this thread and website this morning while working on a project to convert 33 Squadron RAF Operational Record Books from rather poor pdfs to readable Word documents. This morning I am looking at February 1948, and the entry for 24 February 1948 states that Flt Lt CN Gall DFC joined 33 Squadron at Gutersloh that day. He didn’t fly, but spent the afternoon ‘genning’ up ready for his first solo on type the following day. He was posted in to take over as the flight commander of B Flt. I realise that it has been several years since the thread started, I would be intrigued to read how much information you managed to find. I would be keen to see a photo of Charles Gall so that I can check the albums in the Squadron’s History Room. I noted that someone knew a relation of Bluey Dall, who was with 33 Squadron when he crashed in 1945. I have already typed that period up if that person is interested. I am the vice-chairman of the 33 Squadron Association and editor of the Association magazine ‘Loyalty’, which can be accessed on our website ‘33squadronassociation.co.uk’. Many New Zealand and Australian airmen have flown with the Squadron since it formed in January 1916, it would be good to hear from any their relations.
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Post by chocksin on Jan 30, 2021 21:10:48 GMT 12
Shaun, I realise that your thread re Flt Lt C N Gall started in June 2014, so I have my fingers crossed that you are still monitoring this forum. I placed a message here yesterday as I came across his arrival on 33 Squadron in February 1948. As the researcher / historian (and Vice Chairman) of the 33 Squadron Association I am busy transferring the ORBs from pdf to Word. I have managed to type up March 1929 to February 1948 so far, and have the ORBs up to December 1960. Charles appears to have left 33 in 1951 when the squadron was in Malaya, so I expect to see his name quite often as I work my way through the sheets. I would be very interested to hear how your project went, and maybe send the relevant copies to his son, Richard, in Australia. Did you realise that Robert ‘Bluey’ Dall had also joined 33 Squadron, and had died in a Tempest crash at Hildesheim in July 1945, the day before he was leaving the Squadron on posting to Burma? I do not have a photo of either man-yet! My email is davestewart33@icloud.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
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angel
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by angel on Jan 31, 2021 11:43:55 GMT 12
I'm not often on this forum but will get in touch with some photos (see above)
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Post by chocksin on Feb 1, 2021 8:35:24 GMT 12
Angel, Many thanks, much appreciated. Best regards, Dave
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 1, 2021 16:19:18 GMT 12
Angela Bailey (Angel) has sent me the following to post: Hello Dave I have been reviewing my old correspondence. I'm not sure that I sent these to you before as promised. Just in case, I am attaching them now: Re the post you wrote on 28 July 2016. 1)Photo of the No 9 course trainee pilots in front of an Airspeed Oxford at Wigram, featuring my uncle Stan (S O J) Murphy (6th from left) and Des Scott (9th from left). Also some group photos of my father's training courses (Frank Murphy, later of RNZAF 486 Squadron): 2) Flight 3B Squadron 1 at Levin 3) No 14B (War) Course, Woodbourne, 1941 I hope they are helpful Many apologies for the delay Angela
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