LEST WE FORGET
Norman Halton -56th Battalion
The death occurred this week in a Sydney hospital of Mr Norman Halton , a former postmaster at Minamurra and Jamberoo. In both these places he leaves a wide circle of friends who will be sorry indeed to hear of his passing, although as it was known that for some long time past his recovery from a serious illness was hardly to be hoped for, his death now was not entirely unexpected. “Norm,” as he was known to all, had fought as a Digger in the last war, and the steadfastness and courage he displayed during those years were again evidenced when he faced a long, lingering and painful illness. His cheery personality never faltered and he was game to the end, when the call to go on the Last Parade must have come as a measure of relief.
Norman Halton on his job was courtesy and efficiency itself, with nothing too much trouble to help anyone in trouble or to assist a worthy cause. He had two great ideals – to help the Diggers and to further the Labour movement and into these he put all of his mind and energy. Only the members of the Returned Soldiers and the Labour Leagues know how much he did for these organisations and he was also prepared to throw himself into the big job of Repatriation when his last illness struck him down. When he left Jamberoo over twelve months ago to go to the Newcastle district, it seemed certain that he would be able to do little more work, and the intervening time was spent almost in hospital.
To Mrs Halton, who has herself had more than her share of illness, the sincere sympathy of all is extended in her bereavement and all who knew him will long keep the memory of Norm Halton, a fine example of the Anzac tradition.
- Obituary from the Kiama Independent July 7 1945 .
The sunlight glinted off the sea of concrete as I paused at the end of the last row. My partner and I had been exploring this section of the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park for almost an hour and the midday heat (combined with our lack of success) was beginning to take its toll.
We started back up the hill, checking the details I had scrawled in my notebook. We were in the right place, so where was he?
As I checked the signs, my partner Jade pointed out a series of numbers scratched into the concrete. Worn and covered in weeds they were barely decipherable, but they were there. With renewed vigour we retraced our steps, following the numbers till they ran out and then counting the plots by hand, until we came to lot 847, the final resting place of Norman Halton and his wife Johanna.
We'd walked past the overgrown patch of grass before, dismissing it out of hand, not having any idea that here lay a man who had bravely fought for his country. Here lay a man that had survived the hail of bullets at Fromelles, at Ypres , at Polygon Wood. Here was a man who had almost lost both his legs to shrapnel and in later life had battled serious illness. But more than that, here were two lovers, soul mates, best friends, now side by side in eternal rest. Yet there was nothing, no stone, no metal, no plaque to mark their grave or tell their story. Nothing.
The words of Norman 's obituary echoed in my head and I wondered how a man who was so highly regarded and had done so much for the community could be forgotten like this.
The story of Norman Halton's military service begins on the 16 th of August 1915 , when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Sydney . 21 years-old, he was employed as a wool washer and listed his mother, Florence Halton of Kent Street Mascot, as his next of kin.
Norman left Australia in October 1915 on board the transport ship Port Lincoln , bound for the Middle East as part of the 11 th reinforcements for the 4 th battalion. After arriving at his destination, Halton fell ill with the mumps and spent several months in Hospital. Returning to duty in early 1916 he was transferred to the 56 th infantry battalion whilst encamped at Tel-El-Kebir, following which he undertook canal defence duties near the Ferry Post.
After his time in the desert he left for France on board the transport Huntsend on June 19 1916 , arriving on the 29 th and proceeding to billets near Steenbecque. After undertaking minor operations in early July, Norman Halton took part in the allied attacks on Fromelles.
Following the battle he was sent to Sailly and then moved to Flers and then Guedecourt, before being promoted to Lance Corporal in December 1916. In 1917, Halton saw action at Bapaume, Beaumetz, Morchies and Bullecourt and was also promoted again, to Corporal. After this he took some well deserved rest from late May through until July, spending some time during this period in the UK .
5/6/17
Dear Mother,
Just a few lines to let you know that I am in good health hoping it finds you the same. I am still on holidays and enjoying myself. I am also sending my photo along but they are not very good ones, I look something like a drunken nigger but as I have not got time to get any more taken they will have to do. The group is not so bad, there are two chaps that are with me from the same company, they took very bad photos. Well Mother I am sorry to say that Arch has gone to hospital he took some condys fluid tablets instead of headache tablets and it sent him dicky but he will not be too bad it will clean him out and make him sick. I have not heard from Sid for some time. I expect he has joined his unit by this he has had a good holiday. I wrote to Doc but have had no answer from him as yet. Well Mum there is no news to tell you, I am sending a few photos to friends about there, one to Doll and Mrs Midd, give my love to all at home and remember me to all my friends. I am in a hurry to get out or I would have wrote more as I will say goodbye from your loving son.
Norman .
Please give one of the photos to Mrs Midd.
Upon his return to the front he saw action at Ypres and Polygon Wood before falling sick in late October 1917. In early 1918 Halton was sent to the Infantry School before again returning to England to join the 14 th infantry training battalion.
3/2/18
Dear Mother,
Just a line to let you know that I am in England and hope to have a good time. I will be here for six months, no more war for a while, you see I am going to the training battalion to instruct the recruits that arrive from Australia that is the way they have of giving me a rest. I can not tell you much about the job just now as I have only just arrived at this place.
I had two days in London and enjoyed myself, after I have been here 2 months I go on 14 days furlough and I get 4 days good conduct leave every month so by the time I finish here I will be able to tell you a good bit about England. Oh before I left the battalion Dick Jones came and saw me it was in a god forsaken hole and we could not have much of a time together, our battalion had just relieved Sids as I came away and we went to find him but had no luck. Oh I met Billy S***ff (name is hard to read but starts with S and ends with FF) here this morning he is doing well. I have not seen Arch but Bill says he is not too bad now he has got over the worst of it, at the first opportunity I will go and see him.
Well Dear I will draw to a close as I have to see the doc to see whether I am fit to carry on instructing he night say I am unfit and send me back to Australia. Remember me to all around there and give my love to Bill and Doll.
Your loving son.
Norman .
Please excuse writing as I am in a hurry.
In August 1918 he returned to France where he rejoined the 56 th battalion, being wounded in action with shrapnel in both legs on the 19 th of August near Harbonnieres. His injuries saw him evacuated to England on the hospital ship Panama and admitted to the Bristol War Hospital . Soon after this he was sent back to Australia on the City of Exeter and was discharged as medically unfit in Sydney in April 1919.
I am a firm believer that the work we do through groups like FFFAIF, not to mention our own individual writings and research, provides these men with the recognition they so richly deserve, holding firm to the edict that age will not weary them, nor the years condemn. They are more than just names carved in stone; they were friends, fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, soldiers, Australians. Men who were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I hope in some way that by printing Norman's story along with his own words, we've given him a fitting memorial that will live on longer than any granite headstone ever would.
Research notes:
1) The letter from Norman of 5/6/17 also contained some pressed flowers however the photos mentioned are missing.
2) The collection of paper work that included Norman 's letters also included two other letters written to Norman 's mother Florence from other soldiers.
8/7/17 – Richmond Military Hospital Grove Road Richmond
Dear Florrie
I received your two welcome letters on 4 th July dated 15 th and 29 th of April. I also received two from Vera and one from Belle. Well I expect you did have a very quiet Easter, but I had a pretty living one it was a Gods send to me to get to Blighty. We get plenty of smoked fish here, Doylah Chappelow is very lucky to be back in Australia , fancy Dave joining the Light Horse. I had a letter from Sid he's back in France , he is well. I have had a few letters from Dick Jones, he is still in England .
Well I spent my birthday in a good place, I hope Norman had a good birthday. Belle was saying that Hailey Bailey is engaged and is going to get married this year. Well I suppose some of my letters to Australia have gone done in the Mongolia . I had a look through a munitions factory here, where they make shrapnel shells but they didn't put in the explosives in there they were sent somewhere else, it was worth seeing. There was an air raid yesterday we could see from the hospital all the shrapnel bursting in the sky but the flames were not visible owing to the haze. Yanks will shake the square heads up when they get their planes over here, our by planes are towelling them up at the front.
Vera sent me a postcard for my birthday but did not get it till 4 th July better late than never. Sid said that they are all getting married and getting kids, wait till us boys get on the job you can't blame the boys for having a good time over here with the girls because you never know how you are going to fare when you get amongst the steel and lead. I was out for a bit of a picnic with 4 more chaps and 5 girls they thought that I was very quiet will one of them started to tickle me, then I gave her a fine magging then they didn't think I was quite. I really enjoyed it and so did she, it was my first experience of magging and rubbing my whiskers on her face of course I didn't go any further, if I didn't say so you might that so. It happened to be a nice fine day yesterday but it is very wet and miserable today, raining all the time, we are having a lot of wet weather here lately. I hope you received the service ring safely.
Monday 9 th July. I had a letter from my mate today and he expects to be going back to France either yesterday or today so he hasn't had a very long stay over here has he. Of course it was only a slight wound, he was wounded the same day as I was, well I hope he will not see the firing again. It has been raining again this morning but has left off this afternoon. Well this is all the news at present, hoping all are well as it leaves me. Remember me to Bill and Doll as others.
I remain one of your boys.
Doc.
20/1/18 – France
Dear Mrs Halton
I was so pleased to receive your Xmas card. I received it a few days before while I was still in England . I had a nice quiet Xmas myself but things were very slow. I am sorry youhave rheumatism as I know it is so painful and not easily got tid of but I hope you are well again by the time this letter reachers you. I have not been able to find Sid yet, I thought he would be back with the 1 st battalion when I got back but I have not found him yet, perhaps he is in some other battalion. I would like his full address in case I do not find it. It has been very wet and cold these last few days and the trenches are rather miserable, we have had a lot of snow already but I don't think it will be such a severe winter as last year. I hope the horrid war will soon be over and I shall once again be able to visit you. I will now conclude hoping you are in the best of health as leaves me.
I remain yours sincerely.
George.
Best wishes to Bill and Dolly.
3) I believe the Dick Jones mentioned is Richard Jones (4961).
Photos:
1) Norman Halton's grave at Botany Cemetery
2) Photo of Norman's mother.