Duty: The True Story of W/O Norman Cyril Jackson VC

by David Jackson

329 pages, Paperback

Published May 6, 2025

About the author

There are several authors with this name.
Thriller author: David Jackson (DS Nathan Cody and Callum Doyle series, 2 space profile)

Reviews

[Tracey Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duty was a very interesting and enjoyable read. it follows the story of Norman Cyril Jackson from his birth, family history and everything he went through within his time with the Royal Air Force.

I absolutely love reading anything to do with history and the military. This story was both educational and deeply moving. I really liked the added photos and felt like it added that extra personal touch and the more you read I felt that you really got to know Norman personally.

Overall, this was an incredible and amazing read.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how the book opened by exploring the early life of Norman, offering a heartfelt glimpse into his journey from humble beginnings as an adopted child. The insight into his relationship with his adopted brother, the story behind his facial scar and his education, all build a vivid picture of the man he would become, making his eventual determination to join the forces feel both natural and deeply inspiring.

This beautifully presented book can easily be dipped into at any time but the chapters on operations 29 and 30 are particularly intriguing. Relating how things started to go wrong during the operation and describing his selfless bravery, very nearly ending his life with his actions to save others, depict just how much a hero this man was and I felt truly emotional reading his words.

I always feel that photographs bring a true story vividly to life and those included here do exactly that. The images particularly of the Sunderland Flying Boats (named after the city I was born and bred) add a personal resonance, while the photographs of the people involved and the visual evidence throughout, lend the narrative a real sense of authenticity and depth. Together, they enrich the story, making it feel emotional, immediate and genuinely alive.

We should never forget the bravery and gallantry of the numerous serviceman who served in our recent wars and the tremendous risks they took for our country. Jackson conveys through the story, his views on the lack of recognition to the volunteer aircrews after the war and debates the bombing context of the German Luftwaffe. So many of the volunteers were just ordinary young men doing their duty, who never received the righteous praise they deserved and it’s only via memories passed down through the generations, that these people can finally have the recognition they deserve for their sacrifices.

This detailed book will strongly appeal to readers fascinated by wartime stories and acts of extraordinary bravery, particularly war historians and those with personal or familial ties to military service in the UK. It will hold a special resonance for current and former servicemen, as well as relatives of those who served. Beyond this core audience, it also offers value to history teachers and lecturers, along with servicemen, veterans and their families across Europe, making it a broadly engaging and meaningful read for anyone interested in military history and its human impact.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a huge interest in history, and particularly World War II history, so this really was right up my street. And I think it's incredibly important that stories such as this are recorded and not lost to history, so it's great to see the story of Flight Sergeant Norman Cyril Jackson being added to that record. And the fact it's written by Norman's Son, David, adds a great layer of accuracy and genuineness to the tale.

First let's talk about the cover. The hardback I have has a lovely feel to it, the cover with a smooth matt finish, nice to the touch, and the hardback itself in a maroon colour. The imagery used perfect sets the tone for the read, with a night time bomber flying and a Victoria Cross.

Now onto the story. We begin at Norman's birth and explains how Norman's Father was killed in action in World War I, and as his Mother and Father were unmarried, social convention dictated he be adopted. Some more details of his younger years are detailed before we move onto his signing up, with the chapters we're waiting for coming up next, his time in the Royal Air Force. It details how he was based in Scotland, West Africa and Wales, all the time gaining invaluable experience and training in preparation for active service, and finally in Lincoln were his flight crew came together.
We then read of the crew's missions in their Lancaster Bomber, beginning with operation 1 to Leverkusen in August 1943. Many missions later we come to that fateful night of 26th April 1944. On another mission to Germany, one of the Lancaster wings caught fire and without thought for his own safety, Norman climed out onto the wing in oder to put the fire out with an extinguisher. But with no way back, Norman made the decision to drop from the wing and parachute to the ground, where he was captured by the enemy, but later escaped.

So all in all, a deeply personal story of a man who did some extraordinary things. I liked that there were images of personal items included such as a birth certificate, photos of Norman's childhood house, photos of him in the RAF, lots of letters and photos of his medals.

All round, an excellent read.

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Ema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book felt like someone had opened a window back to 1944 and let all the smells and sounds of my childhood back into the room I remember being a young girl and hearing the lancasters overhead in the middle of the night that low heavy thrumming that made the windows rattle in their frames and you just knew those boys were headed somewhere dangerous. David writes about the silence that came after the war so well and it reminded me of my own father who came back but never really came back if you know what I mean. He was there at the table but his mind was still somewhere else. Norman being so quiet about his Victoria cross is exactly how that generation was. They didn't want to be heroes they just wanted a cup of tea and a bit of peace and quiet. It made me cry a bit thinking about how thin he was when he got home to his wife Alma because I remember the men coming back looking like ghosts.

This book is a treasure for people like me because it treats our memories with such respect and doesn't try to make it into a flashy movie it just tells the truth about the cost of it all.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I want to say thank you so much to David Jackson for sending me a copy of the book and for sharing his father's story.

WWII fiction and non-fiction has become one of my most favourite and most read genres recently. I am fascinated by the period and learning about those times from different perspectives.

Most of the books I've read have focused on the ground so I really enjoyed this in depth look into RAF missions.

The book is split into sections beginning with Norman's early life which gave me a good feel of his personality. The main section chronologically recounts in high detail the missions his squadron undertook. Finally we get an insight into life post war.

I found the book interesting, informative and also thought provoking. These brave men deserve so much recognition for what they did and went through. I can't even begin to imagine how it would feel for your only chance of survival to be parachuting from a burning plane.

The book is also accompanied by lots of photographs which really made Norman's story feel more personal.

[Donna Morfett · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible story. I imagine so many of those that fought in the war were, but i think this man, Norman Jackson, deserved all the awards in the world.
His start as the product of an unmarried mum, after his own father died in the first world war, then being adopted, gave him an interesting start in life. The relationship with his adoptive brother was lovely.
There were times when it got to the second section and it got a bit detail heavy, but that really is a minor complaint.
I love learning more about the second world war, and to hear it essentially first hand, via his son, felt like a huge honour. I didnt realise the bombers were seen as murderers, considering they had a 50% chance of survival at best.
Some of the crazy stuff they done, just by instinct. Crazy but unbelievably brave.
I loved the addition of pictures, of logs, the crew, etc. Even though I was reading on a kindle, they came over well.
Great read. Thanks for sharing Norman's story David. You must be so proud.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must first of all say that this really isn't a genre that I read very often, but over the past few years, I've been trying to incorporate something new into my reading plans and have definitely increased my knowledge of the world wars.

 

Having now read a few books accounting these events, I'm always intrigued to find something new and this book is one of the most special accounts I've read - telling the story of w/o Notmàn Cyril Jackson VC - but importantly, being written and told in many of his own words, by his son David.

 

I loved that we got to know a little about Norman's early life, which in itself was interesting.

Having been born out of wedlock as his father died serving in WW1, he was adopted - which must have been so heart-wrenching for him and his mother.

 

We then move on swiftly to learn about Norman signing up himself and the detailed account of his training and missions with the Bomber Command.

 

This is my first read that focuses on the Royal Air Force and it was so inspiring to see just how dedicated these men were and to what lengths they went to for their country - regardless of their own safety at times.

 

Norman's story was so moving and I just have so much respect for him and all of the men who showed so much bravery and courage.

It was fitting that they be commended for their actions and being awarded the Victoria Cross must have been so special.

 

I really liked seeing the images at the end of the book, many of which show authentic correspondence and photos - these really are what brings the story to life.

 

This is a beautiful book and I'm so glad that David helped to share his father's story in this way.

It's so important to have these accounts preserved and I will treasure this book and pass it on for (hopefully) generations to follow.

[Kate Edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the history we should be learning at school! It’s raw, shocking and emotional! It’s shocking how much they did with so little tech! It was skill and a lot of luck with the air markers showing the way!

David (Norman’s son) has done a great thing writing his father’s history leading up to his receipt of the Victoria Cross. It shows dedication and survival instincts of just normal people protecting the country. This is the history of Britain through the wars and it’s not necessarily pretty but it happened!

The book is detailed, educational and perfect for fans of the World wars or those that want to learn a little more with detailed accounts of exactly what happened. These stories will start to fade away as we get further away in time, it’s important we have these stories available to learn from our mistakes and realise how much was done for us in the past to allow us to be here now.

A massive act of gallantry that saved lives and changed futures

[Miss Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I have read a lot of books about wars a number of them fiction and some non fiction. The layout of this book was so good. I loved reading it from early life to all the action during the war and finally from post war and actually quite a lot of books I have read skim over this part and end straight after the war so I really enjoyed reading this part the best. I always find myself wondering how people in the books I read coped afterwards and so I loved we could get some of that insight here.

The detail of different missions and what real people actually went through blows my mind you just can’t imagine ever being in the position of choosing to jump out of a plane on fire and that to be your real life experience and just a fact of life for you!

Forever grateful for all our heroes.

[Saanvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually one for war books because they can be a bit dry with all the plane names and dates but this one is different because it’s a story about a family. I loved the early bits about Norman growing up in Ealing and the boxing matches with his brother and how he met his wife Alma while he was out on his bike. It makes the later parts of the book so much more painful because you know what he has to lose. The writing style is very simple and honest and it feels like the author is just talking to you over a pint. I stayed up way too late finishing it because I just had to know that he made it back to his kids and his garden. It’s a beautiful book about what it means to be a decent person in a horrible world.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grandad was an "erk" who worked on the engines at Metheringham and he always said the flight engineers were the smartest blokes in the air. Reading this book made me feel a lot closer to him because it describes the freezing cold and the oil and the pressure of getting those planes ready for the night raids. David really gives credit to the guys who didn't get the medals but kept the whole thing running. It’s a very inclusive history that doesn't just focus on the brass but looks at the guys with the dirty fingernails too. I’m going to pass this on to my dad because it’s a proper tribute to the kind of men our family comes from.

[Leo Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who flies light aircraft for fun I find the purely physical aspect of what Norman did to be terrifying flying at night with no real navigation aids in a plane that’s being shot at is hard enough but to crawl out of the window onto a wing is just beyond comprehension. The author does a great job of explaining the layout of the lancaster so you can actually picture where he was and what he was holding onto. I found myself gripping the book tighter during that whole chapter. It’s a gripping bit of writing that makes you appreciate the sheer physical strength and presence of mind it took to survive that night. It’s the best description of an emergency in the air I’ve ever read.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a man. Brave, selfless and heroic in his actions. And after reading his story Norman was deserving of all the Victoria Crosses in the world. We don't realise just how much we have to thank these people for.

I really enjoyed reading Norman's story, I found him and his life absolutely fascinating. David must be so proud to have Norman as his father.

The delivery of a (signed) physical copy was appreciated as it allowed me to read the letters and see the photographs so much clearer than the electronic copy allowed.

Everyone needs to know this man's story!

[Dakota · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a real beauty in the chapters that cover the post-war years because it shows a different kind of courage. It’s the courage to come back from something world-changing and just decide to be a normal bloke who sells brandy and looks after his seven kids. The author does a great job of showing that the hero didn't disappear once the medals were handed out he just shifted that energy into being a decent man in a world that was trying to move on. It made me appreciate the quiet lives of that generation just as much as the explosive bits.

[Lily Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

What really got to me while reading was the feeling that this book is a son finally getting to have the conversation his father wasn't ready to have while he was alive. The author writes with this incredible sense of patience piecing together bits of his dad's life that were kept behind a curtain of modesty for decades.

It makes you think about all the stories in our own families that are just waiting for someone to care enough to go digging. It’s not just a war book it’s a study on how we remember the people we love and how much of them remains a mystery even when they’re sitting right across from us at the dinner table.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book doesn't shy away from the fact that bomber command was treated differently after the war ended. There is a raw honesty about how the government turned its back on these men because the politics had shifted. Reading that part made me quite emotional because you realize that for men like norman the duty didn't end when the fighting stopped they had to carry the reputation of the campaign for the rest of their lives.

It’s a very balanced and thoughtful look at a controversial part of our past.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

My uncle was in the resistance in Belgium and he used to tell us stories about watching the bombers go over at night and praying they would hit their targets and get home safe. Reading this book from the perspective of the men inside those planes was a very moving experience.

The author does a great job of showing that the war was fought by people who were often just as scared as each other. It’s a very balanced book and it made me feel a lot of gratitude for what the raf did to help liberate my country even knowing the terrible price they paid to do it.

[Miles Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve spent years digging through archives trying to find out what my own great-uncle went through in the 106 squadron and reading this book felt like finding a missing piece of the puzzle.
The author has obviously spent hundreds of hours in the records because he corrects things that were wrong in the official newspapers at the time.
It’s so rare to find a book that is this accurate but also this emotional.
It’s helped me understand the geography of my own family history in a way I never expected.

[Ryan Devillers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve seen my share of trouble but reading what these lancaster crews went through is just a different level of stress entirely doing thirty missions when you know the odds are stacked against you is a special kind of brave. Norman’s son David writes about his dad with so much pride but he keeps it real he doesn't pretend he was a saint just a man who did his duty and kept his mouth shut about it. Afterwards that kind of quiet professionalism is something I really respect and you don't see enough of it these days.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this because my grandad never spoke about his time in the RAF. Reading about Norman’s return to Alma gaunt, thin, and almost unrecognizable at the door made me burst into tears.

It helped me understand why that generation was so silent. The book isn't just about the 'big' moment on the wing it’s about the seven kids he had afterward and the way he’d joke about his skeletal hands.

Caleb, Grandson of a Bomber Command Navigator.

[Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a lot of talk about bravery in the service but what Norman Jackson did at 20,000 feet, crawling out onto a wing at 200mph with a fire extinguisher tucked into his jacket, is just... it's hard to even wrap your head around. We study these acts but hearing the author describe his dad as a man who just wanted to move forward and do his duty hits home. It’s a reminder of the standard we're held to. Every tech and engineer in the RAF should have this on their shelf.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live not far from where 106 was based at Metheringham, so I’ve always known the Jacko story. But I didn't know about his childhood in Ealing or his father being killed in the Great War before Norman was even born. That formative years section really grounds the hero. The book is a labour of love, and you can feel the author’s pride on every page, especially when he talks about his dad refusing to put his medals on until he was well inside a building. Pure class.

[James Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a very balanced and necessary book for healing old wounds.

It is a complex thing to read a book about the man who bombed your city, but the author writes with such humanity that it’s impossible not to admire Norman. I was particularly moved by the story of the two German women in the cottage who tried to help him with his burns before the Gestapo arrived. It shows that even in the middle of such horror, there were good Germans and modest heroes.

[Casey Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve started using excerpts from DUTY in my WWII modules. The statistics about Bomber Command the fact that the average age was only 22 and the survival rate was essentially a coin flip are numbers but Norman’s story makes those numbers human.

My students were fascinated by the Terror Flieger section and how he was treated by the German civilians versus the Luftwaffe pilot who actually showed him respect. It’s a brilliant resource for teaching the nuance of war.

[Bella Amiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

He spent ten months in the hospital receiving skin grafts from his own legs and he still called the treatment excellent despite how much pain he must have been in then. He gets given a RAF uniform to leave in and it’s way too big for him so he has to wear his pyjamas underneath just to fill it out and stay warm. Its those little human struggles that stay with you more than the big medals. “HELL OF A BOOK”

[JAKE WEISTER · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't a dry military history it’s a deeply moving tribute from a son to a father.

David Jackson manages to strike a difficult balance he maintains the objectivity of a historian while the labour of love behind the writing is felt in every chapter.

You feel like you are sitting at the kitchen table listening to the family stories that were eventually corroborated by crewmates.

It’s that personal connection that makes the bravery described feel so much more immediate and human.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s rare to find a war biography that spends so much time on the transition to civilian life. Seeing a Victoria Cross winner reinvent himself as a brandy and whisky salesman because his hands were too damaged for engineering is both charming and inspiring.

The idea of him opening new accounts for John Haig Whisky while carrying the nation's highest honor in his pocket is a beautiful study in character.

[Taylor West · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most surprising and gripping aspects of the book is the story of Norman’s brother Geoffrey. The book isn't just a biography of one VC winner it’s a study of a remarkably brave family. Reading about Geoffrey’s own George Medal-winning actions in Malaya running into enemy fire to protect a radio van full of children adds a fascinating layer to the Duty theme. It makes you wonder about the specific brand of courage that ran through that household.

[ELLA · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than anything this is a book about loyalty and how seven blokes from totally different backgrounds became a family in the space of a few months the way they looked out for each other even after they were shot down and taken to different camps is just incredible it reminds you that for the men on the ground or in the air the war was always about the guy standing next to you more than the big political goals.

[Aiden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot of memoirs from the spitfire boys but this one hits differently because it finally gives the flight engineer the credit they deserve usually in these war books the focus is all on the pilot but David shows how the whole lancaster was like a living breathing organism where every man had to be a master of his station or they all went down. It makes you realize that bravery in the air was as much about technical skill and grease as it was about pulling a trigger.