Gilbert Norman

Gilbert Norman (1914 - 1944) is a British officer engaged during the Second world war by the secret service British Special Operations Executive (SOE), for which it ensures, of November 1942 in June 1943, the function of radio operator operator of the important network Prosper - PHYSICIAN, near the chief of network Francis Suttill. Decree and tortured by the Germans, it is off-set and carried out in Mauthausen.

Genealogy

  • His/her father: English
  • His mother: Frenchwoman

Biography

  • 1914 . - Saint-Cloud Birth, Ile-de-France, of Gilbert Maurice Norman .
  • Education in France and England.
  • 1940 . - It enters the army, with the Regiment of light infantry of Durham. It is useful as liaison officer near the general headquarter of the army of the general Sikorski.
  • 1942 . - It is recruited like agent of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). In November or December, it is parachuted in France, in the area of Turns, to join the network Prosper - PHYSICIAN lately formed. Under the name of war “ Archambaud ”, he is the radio operator operator. The network develops with the point to become most important of the SOE Section F (for French section). A second radio operator operator, Jack Agazarian, arrives at the end of December.
  • 1943 . - On June 23rd, Norman is stopped by the Gestapo, at the same time as the chief of the network Francis Suttill “Prosper ” and his mail Andrée Borrel “Denise ”. It is brought to the general headquarter of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), with 84 Avenue Foch, Paris. He is tortured during several days. The Germans use his transmitting set to transmit false messages to the general headquarter of the SOE Section F in London, Baker Street. Norman tries to inform London which it is captured, while omitting to give to the Germans the second security check (unknown provision of the Germans). But it is ploughed up to note that London does not include/understand, answering curtly that it must correct its omission! The Germans are then able to install a trap which leads to the capture of Jack Agazarian, come with Nicholas Bodington (n° 2 of the Section F) to inquire into the collapse of the network. After brutal interrogations, Norman is sent to the Concentration camp of Mauthausen.
  • 1944 . - Norman is carried out on September 6th.

Recognition

Major Gilbert Norman is honoured:
  • with Brookwood Memorial, Surrey, England,
  • with the Memorial of Valençay (Indre), as being one of the 104 agents of the section F died for France.

Internal bonds

  • List of the agents of the SOE

Sources

  • Anthony Cave Brown, the secret War, the rampart of the lies , Pygmalion/Gerard Watelet, 1981.

  • M.R.D. Foot, SOE in France, An Account off the Work off the British Special Operations Executive in France 1940-1944 , London, Her Majesty' S stationery office, 1966. This book presents the British official version of the events.
  • Richard Seiler, the Tragedy of the Network Prosper , Pygmalion, 2003.
  • John Vader, We did not play, the collapse of the network Prosper 1943 , the Capuchin, 2002. This book is the French translation of the book Prosper double-cross-country race , Sunrise Press, 1977, translation, notes and appendices of Charles Le Brun.
  • Jacques Office, a lying soldier , Robert Laffont, 1992. Direct testimony of a member of the network.
  • Jean Lartéguy and Bob Maloubier, Triple play, spy Déricourt , Robert Laffont, 1992.
  • Article Gilbert Norman of Wikipédia of English language.

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