'Automobiles et Omnibus Caire' conductor's button : Sergeant N S Beuzeville, 6 Light Horse Regiment, AIF

Very large, flat circular button with a iron tang on the reverse. Cast into the face are the words: 'AUTOMOBILES ET OMNIBUS CAIRE'. At the bottom of the button is a small mark of a tiny six pointed star within a larger five pointed star.

Norman Scott Beuzeville was born on 8 October 1887 at ‘Cardungle’ (a property north east of Trundle NSW) to Herbert Marshall and Sophia Beuzeville . He was employed as a contractor when he enlisted 17 November 1914, aged 27, and was among the first in his district to join up. Under service number 779, he was assigned to 6th Light Horse as a reinforcement. The reinforcements embarked from Sydney on 6 February 1915 and landed at Gallipoli on 15 May 1915.

The light horse were considered unsuitable for the initial operations at Gallipoli and were deployed as dismounted troops –they were attached to the 1st Australian Division. The 6th Light Horse became responsible for a sector on the far right of the ANZAC line, and played a defensive role until it left the peninsula on 20 December 1915.

Private Beuzeville rose to the rank of provisional sergeant by 26 September, before reverting to trooper when he was evacuated sick with jaundice - a common complaint - and was under treatment for two months before his recovery. He rejoined his unit in Cairo. He took part in the defence of the Suez Canal against the Turks in April 1916, and by 10 July 1916 was promoted to temporary corporal and full corporal two months later.

He fought at the Battle of Romani on 4 August 1916 and the pursuit that followed. The regiment spent late 1916 and early 1917 engaged on patrol work until the British advance into Palestine stalled before the Turkish bastion of Gaza. It was involved in the two abortive battles to capture Gaza directly (27 March and 19 April) while Beuzeville was promoted to sergeant on 2 June 1917. He fought at the battle of Beersheba in October 1917.

With the fall of Gaza in early November the 6th participated in the pursuit that followed and led to the capture of Jerusalem in December. Sergeant Beuzeville was hospitalised on 5 February 1918 due to synovitus of right knee. This was an inflammation of his joint which could possibly be attributed to a football injury he received in 1913 when he broke his leg. He did not rejoin his unit until 10 August at Solomon Ponds just before the fall of Amman - there is a photo in his collection which shows the Regiment forming up just before the attack with the caption: "We had a 106 casualties." After the war ended he suffered recurring bouts of synovitus, was classed as unfit for duty and was sent home to Australia where he was discharged on 2 June 1919.

In early August 1918, the Trundle Tree Planting Association planted almost 70 trees “in honour of soldiers who have left this district or who have their relatives in this district” – Beuzeville was amongst the men honoured.

After the war he returned to Trundle and then took up the property he named "Normandoon" at Warren in 1922 which he had won in a land ballot. He married Mary Kathleen Jordon at Orange on 25 May 1925 and had two children (Doris and Elizabeth). He retired to Trundle in 1962 and lived there until his death in 1978, aged ninety one.

Private Beuzeville spent somt time in Cairo recuperating from the jaundice he contratc at Gallipoli and it is likely he acquired this conductor's button at this time.