Norm Ginn worked on a vineyard in Mildura, Victoria, before the war. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in January 1942.
After training as a wireless operator/air gunner in Australia, Norm travelled to the United Kingdom, arriving in March 1943. After further training with Wellington, Stirling and Halifax bomber aircraft, he joined No. 460 Squadron, RAAF, which had by then become a Lancaster formation.
In December 1943, on his 15th operation, Norm's aircraft was attacked over Berlin by 2 German night fighters – an Fw-190 and an Me-109. The mid-upper gunner was killed and his 2 starboard engines caught fire. After flying on for some time, the pilot ordered the crew to bail out. Norm landed safely in Germany and evaded capture for several days before being caught. He was taken to Berlin for questioning and spent 21 days in solitary confinement.
Norm retained vivid memories of the interrogation process in which he was 'put through the mill'. He recalled being taken out one night and stood against a brick wall while 4 men with rifles lined up. His execution was not carried out but the threat was an attempt to break him psychologically.
Held initially in Dulag Luft, a transit camp in Frankfurt, Norm was transferred to Stalag IV B camp at Mühlberg in December 1943.
Norm was involved in a number of escape attempts while held as a prisoner of war (POW). One time, he tried to escape with his crew's navigator but they were caught. Norm was also involved in an attempt to dig a tunnel, but it was discovered just before completion.
After Russian forces liberated the camp in April 1945, Norm and 4 others made their way to United States lines.
Norm returned to Sydney in September 1945 and took his discharge from the RAAF in December.
In 1947, he attended Dookie College in Victoria, furthering his agricultural education. Granted land as part of the Victorian soldier settlement scheme, Merv established a vineyard at Robinvale, where he and his wife raised their children.
Norm was a member of the Ex-Prisoner of War and Relatives Association and the RSL until his passing in 2019.
