condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Cenotaph record

Norman Bradford Bluck

-
Lay a poppy
Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    Norman Bradford AWMM
  • Surname
    Bluck AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • WWII NZ40364 AWMM
    • WWII 40364 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    31 October 1920 Martyn Otorohanga, Waikato Martyn
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Parents: Mr & Mrs W. B. Bluck, Victoria Road, Papatoetoe AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Single/WWII AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›

Military decorations

Contribute ›

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›
  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
    • Pilot AWMM
    • Pilot/Military RNZAF Biographies (R17845607)
  • Enlistment
    WW2 26 January 1940 Martyn Farmer/Civilian Martyn
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

Contribute ›
  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

Contribute ›

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
    • Son of Walter Bradford Bluck and of Eileen Maud Bluck (nee Atchison), of Otorohanga, Auckland, New Zealand.

      At the time of his death, Bluck was flying in Bomber Command.

      Attended Otorohanga School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845607)) AWMM
    • Norman Bradford BLUCK was a Pilot Officer and flew a Stirling bomber AA-K with 75 (NZ) Squadron. The aircraft had the personal number EH-902 and was lost on 24th June, 1943. The crew was composed of three New Zealanders-in addition to Bluck the navigator was James Brett COOKSEY of Dargaville NZ/416460, Geoffrey Walter Strong NZ/413905 of Christchurch. The other members of the crew were the tail gunner Sgt. Douglas Armitage 1434609 RAFVR; Flight Engineer Sgt. John William GILLARD 938834 RAFVR; Air Gunner & Wireless Operator Sgt. Michael Kendlan 1072258 RAFVR ; Air Gunner Sgt. Lesley Ronald CANT 1397680 RAFVR.
      The aircraft was based at Newmarket, a former racecourse and took off for a target of Wuppental in the Ruhr-probably a ball-bearing factory was the target.
      Norman BLUCK was trained in New Zealand and sent straight to the UK with a group of pilots. In the mid Atlantic their ship the MV Waiwera was torpedoed and they spent four days in stormy conditions in lifeboats before being rescued by a Norwegian freighter and landed in New York. I have a personal account by the Captain of the Waiwera as to the circumstances of the sinking. Norman's relations have his log book which I have copied. The Stirling was almost certainly shot down by ground flak and all the bodies were washed up on the Dutch Coast and are buried there. I
      I have more detailed information and I am currently trying to find out more about James Brett Cooksey but have so far (March 2015)been unable to find any living relatives. Public - Roger William - Researcher - 20 March 2015 - Many sources- His personal log book, contact with the nephew of Douglas Armitage. Person records of the Strong family. The war record personal files held at Defence HQ for both Geoffrey Walter STRONG and Norman Bradford BLUCK. Details from various reseachers on the fate of MV Waiwera etc. Papers Past. The 75 (NZ) Squadron on line.
Read more

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    24 June 1943 AWMM
    Age 23 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Vlissingen Northern Cemetery, Flushing, Zeeland, Netherlands AWMM Row F. Grave 12. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name
    Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

Remember Norman Bradford Bluck by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Norman Bradford Bluck

Leave a note

Contribute ›
  • we are family of seargeanty kendlan who flew on this mission and was killed we were trying to find out about his death
    Public - les - 17 August 2015
    Report 

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›
  • External links
  • References
    • Chorley, W. (1996). Royal Air Force Bomber Command losses of the Second World War: Aircraft and crew losses 1943 (Vol. 4). Leicester, England: Midland Counties Publications. AWMM
    • Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM
    • RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ab - B. Archives New Zealand (R17845607) - Former archives reference: AIR118 AWMM
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [Missing - But Presumed Dead on Lapse of Time - Officers, Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845743) AWMM
    • Please note that the 12 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions. AWMM
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762). AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
03 December 2022AntonioHastings DistrictResearcher
15 December 2018JurgenBerghem/ NetherlandsOther
17 August 2015lesminchinburyOther
20 March 2015Roger WilliamMangatarata R.D.6 Thames 3576Researcher

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.