Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Marital status when enlisting was given as Widower. Father of Ida Norman of Balgowan Place, Northcote, Victoria and Arthur Richard Bastian who was killed in action on the 28 May 1917 in the Messines while serving with the 38th Battalion and has no known grave

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Richard enlisted June 1916, and was taken on to the strength of the 57th Battalion on the 7th February 1917. He was mortally wounded, with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, only six days later on the 13th February, 1917, and died two days later. He was in fact born in White Hills in 1868, making him 59 years old at the time of his death. His nearest of kin was his daughter, Mrs. Ida Norman, of Northcote, Victoria.

In his service file held by the National Archives Australia, on page 34 is a letter from his daughter, replying to a request from Major Lean as to medal distribution, “…I only had one brother, and he was killed on the 28th May, 1917, A.R. Bastian number 1111, so you can see there is no one only me.  I suppose I will get one (plaque) for my poor brother as well as one for my Dad, or do my son get them he is the only son I have, yours faithfully, I.M. Norman, Collingwood, Victoria.”