10894
MENGERSEN, Norman Victor
| Service Numbers: | 4163, 4163A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 November 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 25th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Palmer, South Australia, 8 March 1896 |
| Home Town: | Palmer, Mid Murray, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Arsenic Poison - Suicide, Adelaide, South Australia, 4 November 1927, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
Mitcham Anglican Cemetery, South Australia Plot 0838 - Burial reg # 0920 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide University of Adelaide WW1 Honour Roll, Mannum District Roll of Honor, Palmer War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4163, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4163, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: RMS Mongolia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 9 Mar 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4163, 27th Infantry Battalion, RMS Mongolia, Adelaide | |
| 27 Dec 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 25th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4163, 25th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), GSW (thigh) | |
| 8 Nov 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 4163A, 25th Infantry Battalion |
Biography
Early Life
Norman Victor Mengersen was born March 1996 at Palmer, South Australia, to Henry Conrad Mengersen and Emilie Mueller. His siblings were Carl Hermann Ferdinand (b1887), Walther Henry (b1888), Laura Adele (b1890), Wilhelm (b1892), Hermann Edgar (b1893), Irwin Oscar (b1898) and Mercia Emilie (b1901). Norman’s father was Clerk of the Tungkillo District Council.
Schooling
Norman attended Prince Alfred College. He passed his Primary (1910), Senior (1911) and Senior Commercial (1912 & 1913) Examinations. Norman competed in the PAC Sports in 1911-1913, Inter-Collegiate Sports (1912, 1913) and played Inter-Collegiate Football in 1911-1913 (Vice-Captain in 1912 & 1913), Amateur League Football 1913, B Grade Cricket 1911/12-13/14, Intercollegiate Cricket in 1913 and was a School Prefect in 1912 & 1913. While at PAC, Norman spent two years in the Cadets.
University
In his final year at PAC Norman had been awarded the John Creswell Scholarship which provided for study towards a Diploma in Commerce (tenable for 5 years). He commenced studying at Adelaide University in 1914 and was undertaking the Commercial Course. It appears that Norman was also working as his occupation on enlistment was ‘clerk’.
University Sport
Cricket
Norman played cricket for the University in the B Grade in the 1914/15 & 1915/16 seasons.
Football
Norman played football for Adelaide University in the Amateur League (A Grade) in 1914 and 1915. He represented the University at the 1914 Intervarsity match and was awarded a Blue for football in 1914.
World War I
On the 18th of November 1915 Norman enlisted (SN 4163) as a Private, he was 19 8/12, 5’7”, 148 lbs, with a medium complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. His mother was listed as his next of kin (her name was recorded as Amelia). He embarked on the 9th of March 1916 with the 27th Infantry Battalion, onboard the RMS Mongolia.
Norman served with the 5th Australian Divisional Ammunition Column and was promoted to the position of Bombardier at Ferry Post East, Egypt. In June 1916, he proceeded from Alexandrina to Marseilles, France and transferred to the 25th Battalion as a Private. On 4th of May 1917 Norman received a gun shot in the thigh and was transferred to hospital in England. He was initially considered to be suffering from shell shock in addition to his leg wound, however Norman was later diagnosed as epileptic (with one of his fits being witnessed by a Doctor at the hospital). Norman’s Disability Statement of Case noted that he had suffered from fits in 1912 (aged 16 years).
Norman returned to Australia on the ‘Benella’ on the 24th of October 1917 and was discharged as medically unfit for service on 8th November 1917.
Three of Norman’s brothers also served; Carl Hermann Ferdinand (who enlisted as ‘Charles Herman Mengersen, SN 554), Herman Edgar (SN 1609) and Irwin Oscar (SN 4560). Tragically Herman Edgar Mengersen died of wounds at Nonne Boschen, Belgium on 22nd of September 1917, aged 23 years and is buried at the Menin Road South Military Cemetery.
After the War
After his enlistment late in 1915, Norman had put his studies for 1916 on hold. On his return from the War in late 1917, after being medically discharged, he resumed his studies in 1918 and his Diploma in Commerce was granted on 17th of December 1919.
Norman remained involved with PAC, acting as a Steward at the Inter-Collegiate Sports on Saturday the 17th of April 1920, however on the following Saturday Norman was reported to have been critically ill, but by the Wednesday he was progressing favourably.
Norman became engaged to Irene, the only daughter of Mrs and the late Reg Harvey. The couple married on 27th of September 1921. Norman was 25 and Irene 21 years of age. (SA Marriage 288/815).
In 1924 Mr and Mrs N. Mengersen attended the “Red and White’ Dance at The Palais on North Terrace.
Norman worked as an Accountant at Gawler Place, Adelaide in 1924 and was appointed to be Liquidator of several of companies.
In January 1925 he had a telephone connected at Durdin Road, Lower Mitcham. In March 1925 Norman competed in a tennis tournament. In 1926 Norman invested in the Eagle Investment Company Limited. He was also an applicant in the formation of Pingin Pastoralists Limited.
By 1927 Norman and Irene were living at Giles Avenue Glenelg and Norman was the accountant for Industrial Engineers Ltd.
Death
Tragically on the 4th of November 1927 Norman was found unconscious in the East Parklands, he was taken to the Adelaide Hospital by the police but was declared dead on arrival. Norman was 31 years old and left Irene, a widow. His funeral was held privately at Mitcham Church of England Cemetery. His estate was later valued for probate at £500.
Author EE (Beth) Filmer
For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.
Submitted 14 June 2025 by Eleanor Filmer
Norman Victor Mengersen
Norman was originally assigned to 27th Bn . He was transferred to 5th DAC in April 1916 and promoted to Bombardier the following month . In November 1916 he was transferred to 25th Bn, reverting to the rank of private . He was wounded in action in May 2017 (GSW to right thigh) .
Two of Norman's brothers also enlisted :
Lieut. Herman Edgar Mengersen 25th Bn KIA September 1917
Cpl. Irwin Oscar Mengersen DCM 50th Bn
Submitted 6 June 2017 by Christopher Haslam
Biography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Norman Victor Mengersen was bornin Palmer, South Australia, on 8th of March 1896, to his mother Emilie Maria Muller and father Henry Conrad Mengersen. He studied at Prince Alfred College and was a cadet for two years. Norman Victor Mengersen had 3 siblings who all went to war. Their names were Herman Edgar Mengersen, Charles Herman Mengersen and Irwin Oscar Mengersen.
Before enlisting for the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in Adelaide, his occupation was a clerk. He enlisted on the 18th of November, 1915, at the age of 19 and 8 months and was assigned to the Army and Flying Corps with regimental number 4163. His height was 5 foot 7 inches or 170.18cm, which was equivalent to the average height at the time. He had brown eyes and dark hair with a medium complexion.
On the 9th of March in 1916, Private Norman Victor Mengersen embarked on the RMS Mongolia in Fremantle, Western Australia. The RMS Mongolia arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, where Australian and New Zealand troops camped and trained before fighting at the Western Front and Gallipoli. Private Norman Victor Mengersen was allocated under the 25th and 27th Australian Infantry Battalion (10th reinforcement) which were in the 7th brigade.
He served in the Western Front (France) as a gunner (Army Corps) and bombardier (Flying Corps). On May 5, 1916, Private Norman Victor Mengersen was promoted to Bombardier but was reverted back to Private rank 26th December 1916.
On May 4th, Private Norman Victor Mengersen was wounded in action. He received a severe Gun Shot Wound (GSW) to his right thigh and was transferred to Number 3 British General Hospital in Le Treport. The hospital records state that he was also suffering from an acute case of shell shock. Whilst in hospital, he experienced epilepsy. This occurrence led him to receive an injury certificate indicating he was medically unfit for further service as it is known to be a permanent condition.
Private Norman Victor Mengersen disembarked on the 24th of October, 1917. He arrived back to Australia on the 25th of August and was finally discharged on the 8th of November that year. He served for the AIF for 1 year and 356 days. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
After being discharged from the AIF, Norman Victor Mengersen worked as an accountant in Glenelg. He was married to Irene Surrey Harvey on the 17th of September, 1921, and gave birth to their child June Eileen Mengersen in 1922. On the 4th of November, 1927, Norman Victor Mengersen died of arsenic poison. He was found unconscious in the East Parklands and was confirmed dead at the Adelaide Hospital. He was displayed on The Advertiser Adelaide newspaper (Sat 5 Nov 1927, page 15) under Fatalities and Accidents and was titled "A Parklands Fatality".
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