Norman Hamond FRANCISCO

Norman Hamond FRANCISCO

Per his military service record (regimental no. 4775),  Norman Hamond Francisco was born at Cobar, N.S.W.[1]  He gave his age as 24 years and 9 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as baker.  His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination was height 5 feet 1 ½ inches tall, weight 162 lbs., with a fair complexion, grey eyes, and light brown hair.  His religious denomination was Roman Catholic. He claimed to have had no previous military service.

A send-off was held on Thursday 28^th October 1915 at the Court House Hotel in Cobar for Norman Francisco, brothers Walter and Robert Mitchell, and Andrew Lennox, and they were then cheered by many friends when they left Cobar by train on Saturday 30^th October 1915 to join the A.I.F.[2]

All four of them completed their medical examinations, and were attested, at Dubbo on Monday 2^nd November 1915, (the day the Coo-ees were at Lithgow).

Norman Francisco then traveled by train with these three other Cobar men to catch up with the Coo-ees.  They were waiting to join the Coo-ee March when the Coo-ees arrived at Mt. Victoria three days later, on Thursday 4^th November 1915.[3]

After completing the Coo-ee March Private Francisco went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13^th Battalion.

On 20^th December 1915 Private Francisco was charged with being absent without leave from the Liverpool Camp from 3^rd to 19^th December 1915. He was fined 17 days pay.

Private Francisco and fellow Coo-ee Private Lennox while home on leave were given a farewell at the Star Hotel in Cobar on Saturday, 1^st January 1916.[4]

On 4^th February 1916 Private Francisco was charged with being absent without leave from the Liverpool Camp on 1^st February 1916. He was fined 1 days pay.

On 16^th February 1916 he was charged with being absent from night piquet. He was fined 2 days pay.

On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was Becker Street, Cobar, N.S.W., and his next of kin was listed as his father, A. [Alfred] Francisco, at the same address.[5]

On 8^th March 1916 Private Francisco, along with many of the other Coo-ees, departed Sydney on the HMAT A15 Star of England, with the 15th reinforcements for the 13th Battalion.

Troopship HMAT A15 Star of England. Australian War Memorial Collection AWM H17014.

He arrived in Egypt on 11^th April 1916.

On the 16^th of April 1916 he transferred to the 4^th Pioneer Battalion at Tel El Kebir, Egypt.

On the 4th of June 1916 Private Francisco left Alexandria aboard the Transport Scotian bound for France.  He arrived  at Marseilles on 11^th June 1916.

On 31^st October 1916 Private Francisco was charged with being absent without leave from 0830 on 29^th October 1916 till 0900 on 29^th October 1916. He was fined 4 days pay.

On 5^th November 1916 Private Francisco was injured playing in a football match. He was sent to the 4^th Australian Field Ambulance. On 7^th November 1916 he was admitted to the 1^st New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Amiens, France, with a sprained ankle. On 9^th November 1916 he was placed aboard the 9^th Ambulance Train and sent to the 11^th Stationary Hospital at Rouen, France, where he was admitted on 10^th November 1916 with a fracture to the 5^th metarasal bone in his right foot.

On 12^th November 1916 Private Francisco was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Formosa bound for England. He was admitted to the 1^st Southern General Hospital at Birmingham, England, on 13^th November 1916, with a fractured toe.

Private Francisco was discharged from hospital on 19^th February 1917, and granted leave to report to the No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, England on 6^th March 1917.

On 24^th March 1917 Private Francisco was charged with being absent without leave from 3.30 pm on 6^th March 1917 till 8.45 am on 23^rd March 1917. He was awarded 10 days Field Punishment No. 2 and fined 28 days pay.

On 21^st June 1917 Private Francisco was charged with neglecting to obey routine orders by being in Tidworth after hours on 19^th June 1917 without a pass, using obscene language, and drunkenness. He was awarded 14 days detention.

On 21^st August 1917 Private Francisco marched into the Overseas Training Brigade.

On 23^rd September 1917 he was appointed Acting Lance Corporal at Fovant, England, while attending school.

On 20^th October 1917 Private Francisco was sent to the Sutton Veny Military Hospital sick with Influenza.  He revered to the rank of Private on being admitted to hospital.  He was discharged on 30^th October 1917.

On 22^nd February 1918 Private Francisco was charged with being absent without leave from midnight on 19^th February 1918 till apprehended by the Military Police at 1815 on 20^th February 1918. He was awarded 1 days Field Punishment No. 2 and fined 3 days pay.

On 7^th April 1918 Private Francisco departed Southampton, England, bound for France.  He marched into the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Le Havre on 8^th April 1918.

On 19^th April 1918 he rejoined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion in France.

On 22^nd May 1918 the 4^th Pioneer Battalion was resting  in billets around the village of Bussy, France, when it was bombed by enemy aircraft.[6]  One man was killed and 6 were wounded. Private Francisco was one of those wounded, receiving a bomb wound to his right leg. He was sent to the 4^th Australian Field Ambulance. On 23^rd May 1918 he was moved back to the 5^th Casualty Clearing Station. On 27^th May 1918 he was placed aboard the 10^th Ambulance Train, being admitted to the 47^th General Hospital later that day. He was discharged on 5^th June 1918, and sent to the Australian General Base Depot at Le Harve, France.

He rejoined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion on the 19^th of June 1918.

On 13^th March 1919 Private Francisco departed France bound for England to commence his return to Australia. He arrived at Weymouth, England, on 14^th March 1919 and marched into the No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, England.

On 1^st May 1919 Private Francisco commenced his return to Australia aboard the Transport China.

He arrived in Australia on 11^th June 1919.

Private Francisco was discharged Termination of Period of Enlistment on 26^th July 1919.

[1] NAA: B2455, FRANCISCO N H

[2] ‘Summary’, Western Age, 30 October 1915, p. 2. Retrieved August 5, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136723099

[3] ‘Summary’, Western Age, 6 November 1915, p. 2. Retrieved April 4, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136724708

[4] Valedictory. (1916, January 4). Western Age (Dubbo, NSW : 1914 – 1932), p. 2. Retrieved February 18, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136725949

[5] Australia War Memorial. First World War Embarkation Rolls, Norman Hammond [sic] Francisco, HMAT Star of England A15, 8^th March 1916.

[6] Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries, 1914-18 War – AWM4 Subclass 14/16 – 4^th Australian Pioneer Battalion, May 1918.