Charles Wake Norman was born in London on 13 Feb 1891. He was the son of Archibald Cameron Norman and Mildred Emily Baldwin. He was educated at Eton and studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He joined the 9th Lancers in 1913 and served in WW1. He commanded the 9th Lancers from 1936 and presided over the mechanisation of the regiment. From 1940 he commanded the 1st Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade, then was put in command of 27th Armoured Brigade. He was GOC 8th Armoured Division in North Africa in 1941 and GOC 10th Armoured Division in the Middle East in 1942. In 1944 he was GOC Aldershot District, and in 1945 Major-General in charge of Fighting Vehicles at Middle East Command.
He retired in 1946 and was appointed High Sheriff of Kent from 1950 to 1951. He lived at Bromley Common and served on Kent County Council from 1949 to 1955. He was Colonel of the Regiment from 4 July 1940 to 1 Sep 1950. He died in September 1974. King’s College, London contains papers written by Major-General Norman on armoured warfare and the military education of officers.
