Sergeant Norman Herrington Wiltshire

Norman Wiltshire was born at Brighton, Victoria, in 1895 to parents David Wiltshire and Charlotte Wiltshire (née Herrington). Norman Wiltshire was a bootmaker by trade and was residing in the Melbourne suburb of Windsor in 1915.

Wiltshire enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 4 June 1915. He embarked from Melbourne with the 7th reinforcements of the 6th Battalion, aboard the troopship Demosthenes on 16 July 1915. He joined the 6th Battalion at Lemnos, Greece, from October 1915. In January 1916, the Australians withdrew to Egypt, and Witlshire spent time at Alexandria before transferring to the 58th Battalion at Serapeum in February and later moving to Tel-el-Kebir.

During this period in Egypt Wiltshire took part in a concert titled “The Grand Ball Recital” at the Anzac Hostel in Cairo. This concert consisted of selections played by the 2nd Garrison Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Wiltshire performed a cornet solo of “The Lost Chord”.

During March 1916, Wiltshire was transferred to the 60th Battalion but was back with the 58th Battalion after a week. In June 1916, he embarked for France with the 58th. He was appointed Lance Corporal in August 1916 and was a member of a battalion raiding party against enemy trenches at Petillon, south of Fleurbaix, during the night of 17–18 September 1916. Wiltshire was mentioned for gallant and meritorious conduct during this action by assisting to recover a wounded soldier under heavy enemy fire.

Wiltshire was promoted to sergeant in November 1916. In March 1917, he was admitted to hospital in France with impetigo and transferred to hospital in England for treatment in April. Following his recovery, Wiltshire rejoined his unit in France during June 1917. On 26 September 1917, he received a gun shot wound to his back during a major attack involving the 14th, 15th and 98th Infantry Brigades at Polygon Wood, east of Ypres, Belgium. He was transferred to England on 3 October 1917 for treatment for this wound. During the ensuing period, he spent time at the War Hospital, Reading, and No. 1 Australian Hospital, Harefield, before moving to No. 1 Convalescent Depot, Sutton Veny, on 23 February 1918. It appears that he remained in England at No. 1 Convalescent Depot until returning to Australia.

On 14 February 1919, Wiltshire embarked from London to return to Australia aboard the troopship Ascanius. He disembarked at Melbourne on 3 April 1919 and was discharged from the AIF on 26 May 1919.

Following his discharge, Wiltshire returned to his pre-war trade as a bootmaker. He operated his own shop at Elsternwick in Victoria until 1927. This is when he became a police constable, an occupation he followed until his retirement.

Wiltshire married Emily Margaret Brownfield in Victoria in 1920 and there is no record of children.

Norman Herrington Wiltshire died at Heidelberg, Victoria, in 1967 at the age of 73.