STEELE, Norman Leslie
| Service Number: | 240 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps |
| Born: | Kew, Victoria, Australia, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Kew, Boroondara, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Melbourne C of E Grammar School |
| Occupation: | Warehouseman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Palestine, 20 April 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Initially buried under memorial at Hareira erected by the enemy |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Jerusalem Memorial, Kew War Memorial, MCC Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918 - Melbourne Cricket Club, Melbourne Grammar School WW1 Fallen Honour Roll, Melbourne St Paul's Anglican Cathedral "Steele" Memorial Plaque |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 240, No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 240, No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, HMAT Orsova, Melbourne | |
| 20 Apr 1917: | Involvement Second Lieutenant, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 1 Squadron AFC awm_rank: Second Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-04-20 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
NORMAN LESLIE STEELE who died of wounds on 20th April 1917 in Egypt while a Prisoner of War was the youngest son of Mr. P. J. Steele of Kew. He was born in 1896 and entered the Preparatory School in 1904 and came up to the Senior School in 1908. He was the champion athlete of the Preparatory School for two years and was one of our noted athletes. In 1909 he won the high jump under 14 at the Public School sports, and his record of 4 ft. 9 in. stood long. He was appointed a Probationer in 1913 and Prefect in 1914. He was in the football team in 1912 to 1914 and the cricket team 1913-15, and in his last year in each case was captain. He was captain of the team which made the world's record score of 961 against Geelong College. He was also in the crew in 1915, and was captain of Rusden House.
On leaving School at the end of the first term in 1915 he went into his father's business for a few weeks, but the lure of the war was too strong, and he followed his brothers into the army.
He enlisted and joined the Flying School at Point Cook and left for the front. In Egypt he obtained his wings and commission as
2nd Lieutenant in A.F.C. on 27th October 1916. The record of his death is that he was up a good height when his machine was hit and crashed down behind the Turks' lines, and he was probably injured and wounded and died, for later on a small white cross was found marking his last resting-place. He was considered a grand airman and absolutely fearless. He was a brother of the late Captain Fred Steele of the Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in action; Lieutenant Rupert Steele, who died of wounds, and Corporal Cyril Steele.
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