Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

NWG Dodd (1899 - 1942)

A metal number is currently the only indication of my Great Uncle, Norman Dodd’s lonely grave at the Leonora Cemetery. That’s about to change! Thanks to the efforts of volunteers at Outback Graves, a plaque will soon identify his final resting place and the Office of Australian War Graves will commemorate in 2023.

His is one of 31 cases ‘recorded as suicide’ (out of 1653 burials) in that arid graveyard, but there may be others whose death was caused by the desperation of their personal circumstances.

Norman’s suicide note states that he was set up as the fall person for fraud and that he was too old to start his life over again. In fact, he had attempted and threatened suicide many times before because he was wracked with ill health. He regularly suffered weeks of very severe headaches, fever, shaking and trembling, an inability to eat, coupled with a harsh dry cough which brought up thick tenacious phlegm with difficulty. He had prematurely aged from chronic bronchitis.

Norman served in the Australian Imperial Forces as did two of his brothers, ‘Hughie’ [Edward Gilmore Dodd] and ‘Mac’ [Lindsay Foster Gilmore Dodd]. All three suffered severe war-caused health issues. This was pitiful because their father, the Hon Jabez Edward Dodd, MLC (1867-1928) supported compulsory military service. Jabez delivered a highly controversial lecture at Cottesloe Beach in 1916 to a capacity crowd announcing himself ‘in favour of conscripting wealth and men in order that Australia’s part in the war might be thoroughly performed.’

Norman enlisted in 1917 and was subsequently posted to the 16th Battalion. He served one year and 206 days abroad. On 8 August 1918 during the famous Battle of Amiens in France, he was wounded by gunshot to his left side and hospitalised in the United Kingdom. When discharged Norman received a part-pension for his disability and until his death, had a long record with various medical practitioners who treated him for regular bouts of acute/chronic bronchitis. Although awarded a grant under the Soldiers Land Settlement scheme, and cleared medically fit for that grant, he later withdrew his application stating that ‘owing to physical incapacity it was useless to proceed with the land application’.

Despite his ill-health, Norman was interested in practically every movement and organisation in Norseman and put his whole energies into the district’s progress. On 3 February 1937, Norman was elected Sub-Branch President of the RSL, Norseman and country Vice President for the whole of the state. At a social in his honour, a framed personal photograph was presented to him as a mark of the community’s esteem. Contemporaries described him as ‘a leading citizen and force at Norseman’.

His brother, Hughie's war diary references Norman. Here are some notes about taking leave together in London:

February 16 1918 Norm and myself had a good tour around. Went to several different shows together. On the 18th we booked two seats for Chu Chin Chow, but the show did not get on the boards. On the 16th Jerry was over London on a raid, they dropped a couple of bombs pretty close to Woolwich Arsenal, killing several people. He was also over on the Sunday and Monday nights as well, so I thought I was back at the war.

February 19 1918 Back to France. Norm came down to Victoria Station at 7.30 am, as I had to be going back to France. This was the only day I felt a bit down.

Aug 16 1918 ... Had a letter from Norm today. He had been wounded in the left side. In 22nd General Hospital.

The diary (the original of which was donated to the Army Museum in Fremantle) also records Norman's address as follows: Pte N Dodd, 4TB AIF, Codford, England - Sig. School 12TB Codford.