245515 RSM. William Haverson DCM.British Army 2nd Btn. Norfolk Regiment from:Mulbarton, Norwich (d.17th Dec 1991) Mulbarton's Most Famous Soldier, Regimental Sergeant Major Bill Haverson DCM of the Royal Norfolk Regiment died on 17th of December 1991 in his 93rd year.
The Haverson family moved to Mulbarton in 1940 and all the children went to Mulbarton School. Bill Haverson had already seen service in World War I, and between the wars had served in India, Gibraltar and the "Home of the British Army", Aldershot. Pauline had been born at Marham, Gordon and Colin at Aldershot, Peter at Farnborough and June in India.
The Norfolks were in France at the very start of World War 2 and in that desperate rearguard action leading to the miraculous evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk in 1940, Bill Haverson and his platoon succeeded in holding Aire Bridge on La Basse Canal in Northern France to allow battalion survivors to escape to fight again. As a result of this, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, second only to the Victoria Cross in Military Honours. Bill became Regimental Sergeant Major of the Regiment and trained fresh troops for the now famous D-Day invasion of France in June 1944 which eventually led to the fall of Nazi Germany.
After the war, Bill left the Army to become Mulbarton's postman for 17 years. He was also a School Governor, Parish Councillor, Secretary of the British Legion and was largely responsible to raising money for the clock on Mulbarton Church tower, placed as a reminder of those men who fought and died for our freedom. He was also the local Poppy Day organiser.
Always the disciplinarian, as befits an RSM, the rows of seeds in his garden were immaculately straight. The story goes that he slept to attention! He was a collar and tie man and was concerned about his appearance to the end. Mrs Haverson died in 1985 and Bill spent his last years in Wymondham.
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