MEARNS, Norman Ross
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | HQ Education Services |
| Born: | Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, 3 December 1888 |
| Home Town: | Hunters Hill, Hunters Hill, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Lithgow Public School; Sydney Teachers' Training College, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Secondary School Teacher; Headmaster |
| Died: | Natural causes, Manly, New South Wales, Australia, 14 October 1953, aged 64 years |
| Cemetery: |
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW Cremated - Memorial Plaque: Crescent Court, Wall 3. |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 20th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement 20th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney | |
| 16 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 20th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , Shrapnel wound left axilla (arm pit) | |
| 20 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 20th Infantry Battalion | |
| 17 Apr 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 20th Infantry Battalion, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, Vaulx-Vraucourt, GSW Left Thigh (severe) | |
| 26 Mar 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 5th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, Gas Officer | |
| 26 Apr 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Brigade Headquarters, Gas Officer | |
| 8 May 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2nd Division Headquarters, Gas Officer | |
| 7 Oct 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, HQ Education Services | |
| 27 Dec 1918: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches | |
| 3 Jan 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, HQ Education Services | |
| 5 Mar 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, HQ Education Services, Assistant Director of Education - AIF Depots | |
| 24 Jan 1920: | Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, HQ Education Services, SS 'Osterley' for return to Australia | |
| 6 Jun 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Captain, HQ Education Services |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Norman Ross Mearns was born at Bathurst to Scots Peter Mearns and his wife Mary Agnes Hunter in 1888. He entered the teaching profession in 1905 as a pupil teacher, before completing his Bachelor of Arts at the Sydney Teachers’ College.
Norman Mearns enlisted in 1915 and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant. Originally a member of the 20th Battalion he was twice wounded in action, at Pozieres and near Lagnicourt. Recovering from his wounds he became attached to the 5th Brigade, H.Q.
From then until the end of the fighting he was a member of the 2nd Division, H.Q., in connection with which position he was mentioned in despatches. After the armistice, he was promoted to Captain and appointed Education Officer to the 2nd Division. Later, he became the Assistant Director of Education, in charge of all the A.I.F. depots in England.
He married his English sweetheart, Nancy Gwendoline Wilkins on 20 September 1919 in London, before the couple embarked SS ‘Osterley’ on 24 January 1920 for Australia.
His record as a teacher was one of rapid promotion. After serving as Science Master at Newcastle and Parramatta High Schools, he was appointed in 1924 to the headmastership of Broken Hill High School. After a number of years he became headmaster at Grafton and then at Lismore, after a short period as a temporary secondary inspector. In 1934 he became headmaster of Newcastle High School and then moved to Fort Street Boys High School in 1945. He remained at Fort Street until his retirement in December 1952.
Sadly, he only enjoyed ten months in retirement before his death in October 1953. He was survived by his wife and three children.
The 1953 edition of the Fort Street Boys’ High School Magazine, The Fortian noted in an obituary that he was ‘an officer and a gentleman’.
Credit: The Fortian 1953
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