Major Francis Norman Fisher was emergency commissioned to The Sherwood Foresters as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 11th of February 1940. From February to March of 1940 Francis was at the Depot in Derby, before he joined the 1st Battalion in the April. He served in Palestine, Egypt and the Western Desert with the Battalion. It was during this time he became a War Substantive Lieutenant, on the 11th of August 1941. 

Francis became a Prisoner Of War (POW) in Italy after he was captured at Tobruk, with the 1st Battalion, on the 21st of June 1942. He was originally taken to Campo 21 (Chieti) before being moved to Campo 78 (Sulmona), and again to PG 21 (Chieti). Francis escaped from the train on which he was being moved on the 21st of June 1942, was recaptured, and then escaped again, this time making it back to British Lines (in 1943). He was awarded the Military Cross for his escape, which was reported in the London Gazette of the 27th of April 1944. 

In March 1944 Francis was with the 8th Battalion in Kent and became Temporary Captain in the September. In the May of 1946 he was an Adjutant, but he retired as Honorary Captain that year. 

In September 1947 Francis became Officer Commanding at Repton School Combined Cadet Force, which he continued until he retired in 1954. 

Francis died of natural causes on the 27th of November 1986.