A TOP Second World War navigator in the Royal Air Force who went on more than 100 sorties in Bomber Command has died in Worcester aged 91.

Squadron Leader Norman Scrivener lived in Kempsey for 44 years and his friends from the village have promised to make sure he receives the send-off he wanted - a party with a jazz band.

His close friend, neighbour and part-time carer Maureen Pioli said: "He loved life. He loved dancing and he loved music. He particularly loved opera and jazz. I shall miss him so much.

"He told me he did not want mourning and black clothes at his funeral. He wanted people to dress in brightly-coloured clothes and have a party. He was so well-respected and loved. It will be a village funeral and afterwards there will be a reception at the Seabourne Inn, Kempsey, with a jazz band, as he specifically requested."

Eighteen months ago, Mr Scrivener held a 90th birthday party with an all-female jazz band and 90 guests - mainly his friends from Kempsey.

Mr Scrivener was born in Birmingham in November 1915 and in early 1939 decided to join the Royal Air Force. In his memoirs he said: "They were pleased that I liked maths and geometry as they were short of navigators."

He did some of his training at Staverton Aerodrome, in Gloucestershire, where he discovered he suffered from air sickness.

"I loved the lessons on navigation and could always be near the top of the class, but I had other troubles with flying as I was terribly air sick.However, having got so far I couldn't bear to give up, so I gradually got used to it."

He went on to join 97 Squadron, became a pilot officer and was one of the first navigators to use the developing radar systems. He later joined 106 Squadron and flew with Wing Commander Guy Gibson before he went on to the famous Dambusters.

Afterwards, Mr Scrivener joined 83 Squadron Pathfinders and in 1943 took part in the spectacular raid on the German radar establishment in Peenemunde where V2 and V1 rockets were built and tested. Mr Scrivener was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Flying Order.

Mrs Pioli said the war veteran, who lived at Court Meadows, Kempsey, rarely talked about his wartime experiences. "He was a quiet, unassuming gentleman. He was a real gentleman. It was only occasionally he would talk about what he did in the war. He was very sad about some of the things, like the bombing of Dresden."

Mr Scrivener leaves a younger brother. His wife Kath died 15 years ago and his younger sister Kay died last year. He died on Sunday, May 6 in Worcestershire Royal Hospital after a heart attack following an operation in South Bank Hospital.

His funeral will take place at St Mary the Virgin Church, Church Street, Kempsey at 12 noon on Friday May 18.