SEARLE Norman Frederick

HMS Condor was a Fleet Air Arm air base situated two miles north west of Arbroath.  It was used as a training school during WW2.

Tragedy at Holt Heath
…on 11th August, Leading Air Gunner Norman Frederick Searle of the Fleet Air Arm, aged 20, died in an ambulance on the way to Worcester Infirmary from a bayonet wound. Gunner Searle was home on leave, and he and his father had been at the Red Lion Hotel. After drinks, they had both left at about 10pm, the son cycling and the father following on foot.  When his father reached Pear Tree Walk and had gone about 30 yards, he saw a group of people with the boy on the ground.  He was able to ask his son what was the matter and then asked the Home Guards what were their instructions regarding the use of the bayonet, but apparently received no answer.  The post-mortem revealed that the cause of death was internal haemorrhage, shock and injury to vital organs by a penetrating stab wound in the upper abdomen.  A verdict of accidental death was reached by the jury at an inquest at the Guildhall, Worcester, on 28th August.  The evidence given suggested that there had been an altercation during which Gunner Searle was stabbed. The jury consequently added a rider, requesting the Coroner to recommend to the Home Guard authorities that greater care should be taken as to the proper use of the bayonet.

The above paragraph is an extract from the excellent book, Chronicles of The Worcestershire Home Guard’ by Milk Wilks, published 2014, and is reproduced under copyright and by kind permission of the author.

Norman Frederick Searle, aged 20, The Bungalow, Holt, was buried in Holt Churchyard on 16th August 1941.

The grave photograph available is the one in Pershore Cemetery.