The AIF Project

Hector Norman CLOSE

Regimental number607
Place of birthCastlemaine, Victoria
ReligionMethodist
OccupationLabourer
Address91 Bond Street, Ballarat East, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation22
Height5' 9.25"
Weight150 lbs
Next of kinFather, Mr. Close, 91 Bond Street, Ballarat East, Victoria
Previous military serviceMember, Malvern Rifle Club.
Enlistment date14 July 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll7 July 1915
Place of enlistmentBallarat, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name31st Battalion, C Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/48/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 9 November 1915
31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C and D sailed on two ships, HMAT A62 Wandilla, 9th November 1915 from Melbourne, and HMAT A41 Bakara, 5 November 1915, from Melbourne. It is not possible to tell from the Embarkation Roll on which ship an individual embarked.
Rank from Nominal RollCorporal
Unit from Nominal Roll31st Battalion
FateDied of wounds 17 April 1918
Place of death or woundingVillers-Bretonneux, France
Age at death24
Family/military connectionsBrothers: 34984 Gunner Leslie Gordon CLOSE, 5th Field Artillery Brigade, returned to Australia, 8 April 1919; 2nd Lt Stanley Robert CLOSE, 8th Bn, died of wounds, 28 April 1915.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Melbourne, 9 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 25 June 1916.

Appointed Lance Corporal, 23 January 1917.

Admitted to 5th Australian Division Rest Station (8th Australian Field Ambulance), 11 March 1917 (bronchitis); transferred to 45th Casualty Clearing Station, 14 March 1917; to 5th General hospital, Rouen, 16 March 1917; to No 2 convalescent Depot, Rouen, 25 March 1917; discharged to Base Depot, Etaples, 28 March 1917; rejoined Bn, in the field, 21 April 1917.

On leave to United Kingdom, 24 May 1917; rejoined Bn from leave, 9 June 1917.

Promoted Corporal, 15 June 1917.

Detached to 1st Anzac Corps Lewis Gun School, 17 June 1917; rejoined Bn from School, 1 July 1917.

Proceeded to 8th Training Bn, Hurdcott, England, 29 August 1917.

Marched out to 14th Training Bn, 5 November 1917.

Proceeded overseas to France, 30 January 1918; rejoined 31st Bn, in the field, 9 February 1918.

Wounded in action, 17 April 1918, and died of wounds same day.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsStreet number incorrectly recorded on Embarkation Roll as 19.
SourcesNAA: B2455, CLOSE Hector Norman

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