The role was hazardous, as Norrie explained: “Our main armament consisted of two twin turrets of 4.5-inch guns with a crew of three to each gun… After firing three salvoes we reloaded the barrel for another shoot. We laid the gun to the correct position and the order to fire was given. The Gun Layer pulled the trigger… It was followed by an almighty explosion and the turret filled with cordite smoke. Needless to say, we vacated it faster than a flash of lightning, to be greeted by the sight of a gaping hole in the forecastle above our very own mess deck… Fortunately, as all hands had been at action stations, the mess deck was empty. Nevertheless, it was one hell of a mess and we needed huge repairs and a new barrel”.
A faulty shell was to blame for the explosion, but as well as damage to the ship, “I suffered a permanent 80% hearing loss”.
Following Japan’s unconditional surrender, HMS Barfleur was one of the ships accompanying the USS Missouri into Tokyo Bay, on which the formal surrender documents were signed.
Norman continued: “We were assigned to go to northern Hokkaido and pick up 500 ex POWs, which was a very momentous occasion for us”. Dressed in rags and malnourished, the men marched as if on parade from the train to the ship, some kissing the deck as if it was home. “That was probably one of the most touching moments of my life, to see the lads come off the train and march… to board the ship”.
The liberated prisoners were taken to Tokyo Bay and transferred to hospital ships which would take them home. HMS Barfleur then went on a ‘Showing the Flag’ exercise to Australia and New Zealand before returning to Hong Kong. In 1946 Norman returned to Britain on HMS Atheling and his last few months before demob were spent serving on HMS Victory in Portsmouth.
Post war, Norrie worked in engineering on the first British nuclear submarines and helped to establish the Englefield Green branch of the Royal British Legion. He was proud to deliver the PoW Prayer at the VJ Day commemoration in 2020 at the National Memorial Arboretum, and was on the stage later that year at the Festival of Remembrance representing the Royal Navy. He attended many annual Normandy commemorations, most recently for D Day 80 in 2024. He said that the proudest moment he had was just before he sailed for Normandy from Portsmouth when he was piped aboard HMS Victory – he said he could die happy after that. This was an enormous show of respect from senior Royal Navy officers.
Norrie had a lifelong passion for music and was an active member of the Hart Male Voice Choir which recorded a tribute video for him, adapting the song ‘You Raise Me Up’.
