Henry Norman FISHER

Year of Birth:  1894

Place of Birth:  Bundaberg, Queensland

Date of Enlistment:  17 September 1914

Date and Place of Embarkation:  22 December 1914, Melbourne, Victoria

Ship:  HMAT Ceramic A40

Rank:  Sergent

Unit(s):  15th Australian Infantry Battalion; 4th Australian Pioneer Battalion

Regimental Number:  134

Died:  18 September 1918

Private Henry Norman Fisher - photo courtesy Australian War Memorial

Henry (Harry) Fisher was born in Bundaberg in 1895, the first of 5 children of Isaac Fisher and Isabella Hartley, Harry Norman 1895, Ernest 1896, Victor Alexander 1899, Nellie Amanda 1902 and Cecil Hector 1905.

Prior to his service in the 15th Infantry Battalion, Henry served in the Far North Queensland Kennedy Regiment, known as the Dirty 500. Members of the Dirty 500, including Henry, landed on Thursday Island on 16 August 1914 from the troopship “Kanowna”, to take part in the capture of German New Guinea. An incident on board the “Kanowna” involving the firemen forced the immediate return of the troops to Townsville on 18 August 1914; he was discharged the same day.

On his enlistment in Townsville his age was 20 years, occupation a delivery man and next of kin  was his mother, Mrs. I Fisher, Sheridan St., Cairns. His height was 5 feet 11 inches, weighed 152 pounds with a fair complexion, light grey eyes and light brown hair. He was Church of England.

He embarked from Melbourne on 22 December 1914 on the HMAT Ceramic was promoted to Corporal in 1915 then Sergeant on the 27 May 1916.

Henry was wounded in action in France on the 25 July 1916 then rejoined the 4th Pioneers Battalion and was killed in action in France on the 18 September 1918. He was buried in Vendelles Churchyard Communal Cemetery, Picardie, France.

Cairns Post - 9 September 1915 p4
Cairns Post - 8 October 1918 p4
Cairns Post - 18 September 1919 p4

Online Resources

Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages

Photograph of the HMAT Ceramic A40, Australian War Memorial

NAA: B2455 Fisher, H. N., National Archives of Australia

Australian War Memorial

Photograph of Sgt Henry Norman (Harry) fisher, Australian War Memorial

Northern Herald 23 April 1915

Cairns Post 29 September 1915

Cairns Post 8 October 1918

Cairns Post 18 September 1919

Other Resources

The First Expeditionary Force: the Thursday Island Expedition: a collection of reference documents. Denis Bird, 2015 [CDFHS Library]

If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!

 

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