| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
was educated in France and England.
He joined the army, receiving a commission in the Durham Light Infantry in 1940 and was subsequently recruited into the Special Operations Executive (SOE).
In November 1942 he was sent into France to join the newly formed
Prosper network, but on June 23, 1943 was arrested by the Gestapo. together with cell leader Francis Suttill and courier Andrée Borrel.Norman was taken to the Paris headquarters of the Sicherheitsdienst at 84 Avenue Foch and tortured for several days.
The Germans used Norman's captured wireless set, to transmit their own false messages to SOE Headquarters in Baker Street. Norman attempted to warn London that he was in captivity by not giving the German's the second part of his security check, which they did not know about, but was frustrated when London sent a curt reply telling him to correct the omission.
The Germans were thus able to set a trap which resulted in the capture of Jack Agazarian who had been sent with Nicholas Bodington to investigate the fate of the Prosper network.
After brutal interrogation and torture, Norman was shipped to Mauthausen concentration camp where he was executed on September 6September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). There are 116 days remaining. Events 3761 BC The first day of the Hebrew Calendar. 394 Battle of Frigidus: The Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the pagan usurper Eugeniu, 1944Events World War II January January 4 The Battle of Monte Cassino begins. January 5 Murder of Danish playwright Kaj Munck January 17 British forces, in Italy, cross the Garigliano River. January 20 The Royal Air Force drops 2,300 tons of bombs on Berlin;.
Major Gilbert Norman is honored on the Brookwood Memorial in Surrey, England and as also on the "Roll of Honor" on the Valençay SOE MemorialThe Valencay SOE Memorial is a monument to the members of the Special Operations Executive F Section who lost their lives for the liberation of France. The memorial was unveiled in the town of Valencay in the Indre departement of France on May 6, 1991, ma in the town of ValençayValencay is a small town in the Indre departement in the Loire Valley of France situated on a hillside overlooking the Nahon river. The town, with a population today of approximately 2,900, was formed by the amalgamation of three settlements: the "Bourg-d, in the IndreIndre Details Information Number36 Region Centre Prefecture Chateauroux Subprefectures Le Blanc La Chatre Issoudun Population Total ( 1999) Density Ranked 81st 231,139 34 /km² Area 6,791 km² Arrondissements 4 Cantons 26 Communes 247 President of the gener departément of France.
Norman, Gilbert Norman, Gilbert