26 Sep 2023
A war hero recognised by Russia for “bravery and courage in naval theatres”, who also helped set up the UK’s first job centres, has died at the age of 103.
Norman McGlynn MBE was born in 1919, shortly after the end of the First World War and some 10 months since his father had been released from a German POW camp and walked home to his wife in the Staffordshire Potteries area.
Both Norman and his sister won scholarships to public school, where Norman was destined for Oxbridge until family economics resulted in him joining the Civil Service.
He worked first in Birmingham, then onto London, but soon after the Second World War started and in 1939 he enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was just 19 at the time.
Working his way up the ranks to become sub lieutenant, he was onboard the first minesweeper that helped to clear the beaches for the D-Day landings.
This vessel subsequently kept the access passage open for the flotilla of small ships entering for the invasion.
HMS Speedwell, his minesweeper, was then stationed at Murmansk, where it had a key role in the Arctic convoys that saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of Russians, enduring temperatures of minus 20 degrees, 30ft waves and the constant threat of German U-boats.
He was made a full naval lieutenant in 1945 , having married his childhood sweetheart Gladys in 1941.
After the war he returned to the Civil Service and studied for the first of his two degrees at evening school.
He went on to help set up the first Labour Exchange – better known now as Job Centres – and rose through the ranks to become senior principle.
Norman received the MBE in 1968 for his services to the nation, including acting as primary negotiator between the government, Rolls Royce and Lockheed Martin, ensuring Rolls Royce remained strike-free during negotiations with Lockheed for the Airliner Tri Star jet engines. During this time he regularly visited Buckingham Palace and prepared questions and answers for Prime Minister’s Question Times.
He was also an accomplished ballroom dancer, an excellent bowler, swimmer and also an extremely melodic singer.
He was mentioned in dispatches three times, awarded the Africa Star, the Atlantic Star, the 1939-1945 Star and the Arctic Star, and, was called up to the Russian Embassy where he was awarded the Ushakov Medal – given for “bravery and courage in naval theatres”, recognising the role he had played 80 years before.
He was married to Gladys for 65 years until her death in 2005, and had four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He celebrated his 100th birthday with a huge party thrown for him at Morrisons in St Albans, attended by then-Mayor Cllr Janet Smith, the Sea Cadets, the fire brigade, the marines and a whole troupe of Irish dancers with a home-baked Royal Navy-themed cake, and then another party at his beloved Townsend Bowls Club.
Norman moved into a care home for the last few years of his life, but Morrisons continued to throw him birthday parties right up to his 103rd birthday in November last year.
He enjoyed family occasions and days outs and was still singing beautifully right up to when he went into hospital after suffering a fall from which he sadly did not recover.
He always retained his cheeky sense of humour and despite his Alzheimer’s, was smart as button! His motto was simply to “keep smiling”!
Before his death he was the longest-serving parishioner at St Alban and St Stephen’s Church, and his funeral will be held there on Thursday September 28 at 10am. Anyone who knew him is welcome to attend.
