Ignatius Bertram NORRIS

Date of birth31 July 1880
Place of birthNorth Sydney, New South Wales
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationBarrister at law
AddressUniversity Chambers, 167 Phillip Street, Sydney, New South Wales
Marital statusMarried
Age at embarkation34
Height5' 6"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinWife, Mrs Jane Elizabeth Norris, Killountan, New South Head Road, Darling Point, Sydney, New South Wales
Enlistment date1 March 1915
Rank on enlistmentMajor
Unit name1st Battalion, 5th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/18/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on 25 June 1915
Rank from Nominal RollMajor
Unit from Nominal Roll53rd Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Miscellaneous details (Nominal Roll)Rank shown as Lieutenant Colonel on Roll of Honour.
Place of burialFromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery (Plot III, Row A, Grave No 3), France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
157
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

To command 22nd Bn, 1 February 1916.

From 7th Training Bn to Command 22nd Bn, Canal Zone, 7 February 1916.

Transferred to 53rd Bn, 24 February 1916.

Relinquished command of 22nd Bn, Canal Zone, 26 February 1916.

Taken on strength and to command 53rd Bn, Tel el Kebir, 28 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 28 June 1916.

Killed in action, 19 July 1916.

A statement made by a Major in 53rd Bn asserted, 'Lieut.-Col. Norris was killed shortly after 6 p.m. on the evening of 19/20 July '16. while leading men of his Battalion in an assault on the 2nd enemy line in front of FROMELLES. He was several times hit by Machine Gun fire and death was practically instantan[e]ous. The position was retaken by the enemy next morning and the body was not recovered.'

Translation of German message, 15 November 1919, 'Identification Disc handed over by Intelligence Officer of the 6th Army Head Quarters through Central Office for deceased Estate 12/10/16. Australian Soldier C. (sic) B. Norris, 53rd Battn, 14 Inf. Bgde fell in the neighbourhood of Fromelles, 19/7/16.'

Red Cross File No 2020304: 'The above name appeared on German list of dead dated 4-11-16'.

Statement, 3398 Pte A. PIKE, D Company, 53rd Bn (patient, HM Queen Mary's Royal Naval Hospital, Southend-on-Sea, England), 28 July 1916: 'On 19th July, 1916, at Fleurbys (sic), left of Armentieres, I saw Colonel Norris shot in the abdomen by a bullet and killed instantly - it happened over the parapet.'

Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 1), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, and interred in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsWife's address subsequently c/o Mrs D'Apice, 7 The Avenue, Blackheath, London (3 June 1916), then c/o J. Lane-Mullins Esq., Killountan, South Head Road, Double Bay, Sydney, New South Wales.
SourcesNAA: B2455, NORRIS Ignatius Bertram
Red Cross File No 2020304