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08/11/1899 - 29/01/1918

Place of birth: Dulwich, Surrey
Last known address in Bromley: 3 Blyth Road

Military information

Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Air Service
Battalion/Ship:
Rank: Probationary Flight Officer
Number: Unknown

Family information

Parents: Charles Henry & Lilian Louisa Collett (nee Ionn)
Parents' occupation: Hosier
Siblings: Henry Seymour, Elsa Mary, Stanley Beresford, Margaret Edith, John Collison, Thomas Kingsley, David Brooke, Roger

Census information

1901
Address: 56 Beckwill Road, Camberwell
1911
Address: 3 Blyth Road

Extra details

Norman was the 5th of Charles Henry and Lilian Louisa Collett's ten children. He was educated at Quernmore School before attending Bishop's Stortford College from 1911 to 1916 where his claim to fame was his skill in swimming, diving and water polo, and gymnastic stunts. On leaving school he was apprenticed to Messrs. Cheeseman of Lewisham but wanted to serve his country, so gave that up to do voluntary work at the YMCA in Dover until he was old enough to enlist.

He entered the Royal Naval Air Service on 14th October 1917 and, after initial training at Vendôme, returned to England on 19th January 1918 for further instruction. He was killed in a flying accident at Sleaford, Lincolnshire on 29th January. The RNAS incident report recorded that the plane, possibly a Sopwith Pup or Aquaplane, developed engine trouble and went into a spin and, in trying to correct it, Norman clipped a brick wall at the aerodrome and sustained injuries that proved to be fatal.