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402114 Flight Sergeant Norman Henry MAUL.
Parents Mr and Mrs H.L. Maul of Palmerston North

Norman Maul was born at Feilding on the 30th January, 1921 and received his secondary education at Palmerston North Technical School. His sports were football, cricket and wrestling. He was employed on general farm duties by Mr. W.G. Ranson of Bunnythorpe, when applying, on the 22nd September, 1939, for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Flight Sergeant Maul was enlisted at the Ground Training School, Levin, for aircrew training, on the 28th July, 1940, and was posted, on the 26th August, 1940 to No. 1 Air Observers' School, Ohakea. Here on the 21st September, 1940 he was awarded the air gunners' badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant, being further promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant on the 1st October, 1941. Meanwhile on the 6th October, 1940 he had embarked on the "Mataroa" at Wellington to proceed to the United Kingdom.

Flight Sergeant Maul arrived at No. 1 R.A.F. Depot, Uxbridge, Middlesex on the 30th November, 1940 and was posted on the 18th December, to No. 255 Squadron first at Kirton-in-Lindsey, and later at Hibaldstow, both in Lincolnshire. With this Squadron as air gunner of a Defiant two seater fighter he took part in eight operational flights comprising three offensive patrols, two enemy aircraft interception flights, two flights affording cover to bombers and one convoy patrol. During the course of these operations, enemy convoy patrol aircraft were often encountered and Flight Sergeant Maul was credited with one Heinkel 111 (underlined) destroyed. He was posted on the 7th January, 1942 to No. 1 Ferry Training Unit, Honeybourne, Worcestershire later proceeding to No. 1428 Hudson Ferry Training Flight, first at Oulton and later at Horsham St. Faith, both in Norfolk. On the 24th April, 1942 as a member of the crew of a Hudson bomber aircraft he left England on Posting to India.

Landings were made at Gibraltar, Malta, Cairo and Kasfareet in Egypt, Habbaniya in Irak (note spelling mistake should be Iraq), Smarjah and Arabia and Jirwani and Karachi in India, Delhi, the destination was reached on the 10th