Gordon Henry Norman

A Private with the 8th Battalion, Gordon died on 28th of September 1916 at the age of 27. 

Gordon was born at Lowestoft in 1888, a son of James George and Margaret Ellen Norman. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft, on 15 February 1893, and his family lived at 10 Reeve Street, which was Gordon’s home for the rest of his life.  

In February 1907 Gordon joined the Great Eastern Railway as a Deck Hand on the tug Lowestoft. By 1916 he was working for the G.E.R. as a bridgeman at Lowestoft Harbour.  

Gordon enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft on 2 March 1916. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 25104, and was posted to the 8th Battalion in France. 

On 26 September 1916 the 8th Battalion were involved in an attack on Thiepval and the Schwaben Redoubt. The 8th Battalion were at the vanguard of the attack and had the Schwaben trench as their first objective. The attack was a success and both the first line objective, and the second objective, Zollern trench, were taken. At 1 p.m. the attack was renewed with C and C Companies attacking the Bulgar trench and then the Schwaben Redoubt. The first objective was taken fairly easily but they met stubborn resistance at the Schwaben Redoubt.

The Battalion’s sustained over 200 casualties between 26 and 28 September.

Gordon was killed in action on 28 September.   

Gordon's brother Percival served with the Bedfordshire Regiment and also died in 1916.