GRAHAM, Norman
| Service Number: | 551 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 March 1916, Bendigo, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Lance Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 38th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Inglewood, Victoria, Australia, 1893 |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Arnold West State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | School teacher |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Messines, Belgium, 7 June 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Arnold School Honor Roll, Arnold Simpsons Creek State School No 2019 Honor Roll, Arnold St. Mary's Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 551, 38th Infantry Battalion, Bendigo, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 38th Infantry Battalion, Melbourne, Vic. | |
| 20 Jun 1916: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 551, 38th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jun 1916: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 551, 38th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Melbourne | |
| 22 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 38th Infantry Battalion, England | |
| 18 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 38th Infantry Battalion, England | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 551, 38th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Involvement 551, 38th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 551 awm_unit: 38th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-06-07 |
Help us honour Norman Graham's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
A school teacher prior to enlistment, Graham embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Runic (A54) on 20 June 1916. On 7 June 1917, aged 24, he was killed in action at Bethlehem Farm, Messines Ridge, Belgium. He has no known grave, and is remembered with honour on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Source: AWM
Commemorated on Arnold West State School Roll of Honour (now in Arnold Public Hall), Victoria.
Parents: George and Eleanor GRAHAM, 136 Carpenter Street, Bendigo, Victoria
Cousins:
660 Pte Wesley Hamilton GRAHAM, 30th Bn, killed in action, 12 May 1917;
3363 Pte Christopher James METELMANN, 57th Bn, killed in action, 26 September 1917.
Biography contributed by Andreena Hockley
Sergeant Norman Graham, formerly head teacher at School No. 2019, Arnold West, was killed in action in France on the 9th of June, 1917, at the age of 24. He was an elder son, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. George Graham, of 136 Carpenter-street, Bendigo.
After an elementary-school course, he attended the high school at Bendigo. Then he acted as junior teacher at the Dunolly and Inglewood schools. Aiming at thoroughness, he availed himself of every opportunity that would help him in his profession, such as attendance at classes in swimming, agriculture, physical training, and the like.
His first appointment as head teacher was to half-time schools at Leaghur and Minmindie. He was then transferred to Arnold West, whence he enlisted in March, 1916.
He was in the 38th Battalion at the Bendigo Military Camp: later, he attended the Non-coms. School at Port Melbourne. He embarked in June of last year, had a further training at Salisbury Plain, then went over to France, where he took part in the heavy fighting around Messines.
In Sergeant Graham, the Department lost an intelligent, energetic, and zealous young teacher, who showed great interest in his work.
Source: The Education Department's Record of War Service, Victoria, 1914-1919.
Click images to start slideshow.