Royal Air Force
Born: 1901.
Story
Norman was born in Bishop Wilton, East Yorkshire, but his parents George William Slater and Clara Tindale Sygrove brought him to Kippax at a young age, along with his brother Bertie (25th May 1906 – 1977) who was a member of Kippax Amateur Dramatic Society for many years. Norman’s uncle Hartley Slater was killed in the First World War in 1917.
Norman’s father George William Slater was gamekeeper at Kippax Park Hall for the Blands, and the family lived at High Lodge on the estate (below). Norman himself had been employed by J.D. Bland of Kippax Park Hall on his household staff, before he joined the Army. Norman married Kathleen Lilley on 27th July 1929 in Kippax, by which time Norman was a Sergeant based at Pembroke Dock. The Royal Air Force arrived in Pembroke Dock on 1 January 1930 with the first Squadron (No. 210) arriving in June 1931. He had been a regular soldier for 24 years before the War, serving a long period in the Far East, and his wife Kathleen spent three years with Norman in Hong Kong and Malta, until Italy joined the War, and she returned to England. Norman continued to serve in Malta during the War, and on 14th November 1941, it was announced that he had been promoted to the rank of Captain, and had been awarded the MBE. On 5th June 1942, it was further reported that Norman was going to make a “Back to Blighty” broadcast back to England, and was returning home on leave.
Kippax Roll of Honour 