GIBBS, Norma May
| Other Name: | BOOTH, Norma May - Service Record |
|---|---|
| Service Number: | VF388375 |
| Enlisted: | 4 July 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Staff Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Lines of Communication Signals |
| Born: | Shepparton, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 4 May 1923 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Chemist Assistant |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 4 Jul 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VF388375 | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 1943: | Promoted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, Promoted to Acting Corporal 2/9/42. Rank of Corporal confirmed 31/12/43 | |
| 31 Dec 1943: | Promoted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lance Sergeant | |
| 27 Aug 1944: | Promoted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, Promoted to Acting Sergeant 1/5/44. Substantive rank confirmed 27/8/44 | |
| 27 Aug 1944: | Promoted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Staff Sergeant | |
| 1 Apr 1947: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Staff Sergeant, VF388375, Lines of Communication Signals, 19 Australian Lines of Communication Signals |
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Norma Gibbs was born on 4 May 1923, in Shepparton, Vicotria. She grew up on a dairy farm, the daughter of a WWI Veteran.
At the height of World War II and aged just 19, Norma joined the Australian Women’s Army Service and trained as a Cipher Operator.
Norma’s skills led to deployments across Australia before being among 400 women posted to Lae in New Guinea in 1945. Under strict security conditions, Norma worked round-the-clock shifts in Lae where she met her future husband Lyall Booth who was also a signaller. Norma served a total 1733 days in total, of which 202 days were spent overseas.
Tragically, Norma had 5 first cousins who died in World War II but Norma luckily survived serving until 1947 when Norma had attained the rank of Staff Sergeant, the highest available to her.
Norma married Lyall in 1949 and they were married for 66 years until Lyall’s passing in 2015. Norma and Lyall had three children, 8 grandchildren and more than 15 great grandchildren.
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