Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lieutenant Norman Castel Sherard was born in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. He was residing in Western Australia working as a clerk when he enlisted into the 1st West Australia Mounted Infantry (service # 62) deploying with them to South Africa where he saw some stiff fighting with the contingent as per his letters home. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the field and invalided to England in September 1900. The medal roll records his service as from 26/11/1899 – 13/12/1900.
He enlisted with the 5th West Australia Mounted Infantry as a Lieutenant to serve again from 7/4/1901 – 8/4/1902. He returned to Western Australia and on the outbreak of the Great War was working as an assayer at the Golden Ridge Gold Mine, he enlisted as a Private soldier (driver) with the 4th Section Divisional Ammunition Colum, 3rd field Artillery Brigade at Black Boy Hill, Perth on 24/8/1914.
He departed from Australia with the unit on 2/11/1914 bound for Egypt and subsequently Gallipoli landing on 30th April. He lost his rifle and oil bottle on 21/6/1915 and was subsequently charged with the cost of them. He survived the campaign unscathed and on returning from Gallipoli to Egypt was transferred to newly formed 103rd Battery (21st howitzer Brigade) as a gunner in March 1916. He proceeded to France with the battery landing on 1/4/1916.
He was killed in action on 7/8/1916 at Pozieres, when hit by a 5.9” shell. The unit lost 3 killed, and 5 wounded on the same day all from German 5.9’s.
He was originally buried and his grave marked with a cross, however this was later lost and he is commemorated at the Villers- Bretonneux Memorial.