Date of birth | |
Place of birth | North Sydney, New South Wales |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Occupation | Barrister at law |
Address | University Chambers, 167 Phillip Street, Sydney, New South Wales |
Marital status | Married |
Age at embarkation | 34 |
Height | 5' 6" |
Weight | 140 lbs |
Next of kin | Wife, Mrs Jane Elizabeth Norris, Killountan, New South Head Road, Darling Point, Sydney, New South Wales |
Enlistment date | |
Rank on enlistment | Major |
Unit name | 1st Battalion, 5th Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/18/2 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Major |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 53rd Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Miscellaneous details (Nominal Roll) | Rank shown as Lieutenant Colonel on Roll of Honour. |
Place of burial | Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery (Plot III, Row A, Grave No 3), France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 157 |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front To command 22nd Bn, 1 February 1916. From 7th Training Bn to Command 22nd Bn, Canal Zone, 7 February 1916. Transferred to 53rd Bn, 24 February 1916. Relinquished command of 22nd Bn, Canal Zone, 26 February 1916. Taken on strength and to command 53rd Bn, Tel el Kebir, 28 February 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 28 June 1916. Killed in action, 19 July 1916. A statement made by a Major in 53rd Bn asserted, 'Lieut.-Col. Norris was killed shortly after 6 p.m. on the evening of 19/20 July '16. while leading men of his Battalion in an assault on the 2nd enemy line in front of FROMELLES. He was several times hit by Machine Gun fire and death was practically instantan[e]ous. The position was retaken by the enemy next morning and the body was not recovered.' Translation of German message, 15 November 1919, 'Identification Disc handed over by Intelligence Officer of the 6th Army Head Quarters through Central Office for deceased Estate 12/10/16. Australian Soldier C. (sic) B. Norris, 53rd Battn, 14 Inf. Bgde fell in the neighbourhood of Fromelles, 19/7/16.' Red Cross File No 2020304: 'The above name appeared on German list of dead dated 4-11-16'. Statement, 3398 Pte A. PIKE, D Company, 53rd Bn (patient, HM Queen Mary's Royal Naval Hospital, Southend-on-Sea, England), 28 July 1916: 'On 19th July, 1916, at Fleurbys (sic), left of Armentieres, I saw Colonel Norris shot in the abdomen by a bullet and killed instantly - it happened over the parapet.' Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 1), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, and interred in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France. Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Miscellaneous details | Wife's address subsequently c/o Mrs D'Apice, 7 The Avenue, Blackheath, London (3 June 1916), then c/o J. Lane-Mullins Esq., Killountan, South Head Road, Double Bay, Sydney, New South Wales. |
Sources | NAA: B2455, NORRIS Ignatius Bertram
Red Cross File No 2020304 |