Canadian Expeditionary Force

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Norman was the middle child of seven born to locomotive fitter William and his wife Elizabeth Jane Austin in Gateshead. He was born on 6th October 1893 and baptised on 31st January the following year at St. Edmunds Church, Gateshead. At the time of the 1911 census Norman was working as a ship broker’s clerk and was one of six children still living at home with their parents in Hartington Street, only Matthew, the oldest had left home.

The following year Norman sailed to Canada and found himself a job as a locomotive fireman in Manitoba and enrolled as a member of the 90th Winnipeg Rifles, an active militia group. On 7th June 1915 Norman enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and became Private 460228 in the 61st Battalion and after initial training in Canada embarked with them for England, arriving on 12th April 1916 and being posted to Shorncliffe Camp, Kent. In May he was transferred to the 44th Battalion, then based as Bramshott and at the end of August he travelled with them to France, sailing from Southampton to Havre on board the transport ship HMS Viper.

The Battalion were based in the Pas-de-Calais and by Christmas were on the front line near to Carency; relieved by the 46th Battalion at New Year they moved some four miles away from the frontline to Estree Cauchy, and here they spent five days in rest, cleaning and training. Back on the front line the German trench mortars were very active and it was here that Private 460228 Norman Austin was killed in action on 7th January 1917.

Norman Austin's name does not appear on any local War Memorial.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Austin