Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Norman Edward Morton was born on 4 Sep 1891 at Maryborough the 6th of 7 children of Thomas and Susannah Morton. Thomas Morton was a Solicitor at Maryborough and they lived in Alice St.
It seems that Norman attended Maryborough Grammar School as per his army records he was in the Grammar School Cadets for 2 ½ years as well as the Rifle Club Reserves.
By 1912, 22 year old Norman was living in Brisbane and working as a Bank Clerk. In 1915 he was transferred to Gayndah and in 1916 he was based in Kingaroy. He was probably working for the QNB and therefore known to the Wooroolin community where a QNB branch was sited.
Norman joined the AIF on 22 Apr 1916 and his photo appears on page 24 of The Queenslander Pictorial, supplement to the Queenslander, 9 December 1916. His army records show that 24 year old Norman was 5ft 8 inches tall with dark complexion, dark brown eyes and black hair. He had no distinguishing features.
Norman was assigned to the Camel Corps November 1916 Reinforcements Unit which embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A7 Medic on 12 December 1916 and disembarked at Suez.
Another learning curve me for about the Camel Corps. Camels were very useful in Sinai and Palestine. Tens of thousands were needed to get water to the soldiers, and they were also good for patrolling in the desert.
Later on they were also used to transport cameliers into battle, whereupon the riders would dismount to fight. They could also carry wounded men on stretchers placed on each side of the animal. Despite their usefulness, the camels were a rough ride, making transportation of the wounded uncomfortable and painful.
The Imperial Camel Corps Brigade was formed in 1916 from British and Commonwealth troops and was attached to the Anzac Mounted Division
Norman was transferred to the 11th Light Horse Brigade but remained in Egypt and Palestine for all of his service. The 11th Light Horse joined the forces defending the Suez Canal on 20 July 1916. In ensuing months it conducted patrols and participated in several forays out into the Sinai Desert. In April 1917 the regiment moved into Palestine to join the main British and dominion advance. It joined its first major battle on 19 April when it attacked, dismounted, as part of the ill-fated second battle of Gaza.
While awaiting to embark for home, the 11th Light Horse were called back to operational duty to quell the Egyptian revolt that erupted in March 1919; order was restored in little over a month. The Regiment sailed for home on 20 July 1919 on board the HT Morvada. Sadly, whilst he was enroute home his mother died on 6 Aug 1919. A telegram advised the family that he was due to arrive in Melbourne on 23 Aug 1919.
On return home Norman remained in the banking industry. He married Dorothy Walsh in 1921. They lived in NSW before retiring to Hervey Bay.
Norman died in 1967 and is remembered at Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium.
Norman Morton is remembered on the Wooroolin WW1 Honour board which was placed in the Wooroolin Memorial Hall in 1923 as well as the Maryborough City Hall Honour Roll
Lest We Forget
NB: I am writing about all the people listed on the WW1 Honour board at Wooroolin. Some people like Norman never returned to this small country town after the war but are honoured there.