TURNER, Norman Vivian

Norman’s birth was registered at Inverell in 1888. His parents, William and Susan, lived at Delungra NSW.  When Norman enlisted in December 1915, he was a twenty six year old single man working as a Farm Overseer. He joined other district men known as the First Contingent of The Kurrajongs who left Inverell together on 12 January 1916 for the Narrabri and Armidale camps.

He became a member of the 33rd Battalion, Headquarters Signal Section.  The Battalion trained at Armidale and Rutherford prior to sailing from Australia on HMAT A74 Marathon in May 1916.  After nine weeks at sea they arrived in England and were transferred to Salisbury Plain where further training took place until the Battalion was sent to France in November.

In February 1917 Norman was hospitalised for treatment of scabies, which many men suffered from in the trenches.  He returned to his unit and in April 1918 was severely gassed.  As a result he was invalided to King George Hospital, Stamford Street, England, then transferred to 3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford for treatment.

Norman returned home by the ship Ulysses suffering defective vision and was medically discharged in May 1919. Seven months later he married Ellen Constable at Delungra. During the early 1930s he was living at Belmore, Sydney and working in the postal service.  Norman died in Sydney in 1969.

Private Norman Turner is remembered at Inverell where his name is inscribed on the town’s Honor Roll.