Dadswell Family History

Sidney Oxborough Norwood 1891-1915

On this page:
Ancestors of Sidney Oxborough Norwood
Sidney's story
Key family dates
Further information

Ancestors of Sidney Oxborough Norwood

Joseph Norwood > Walter Norwood ca1762 > Joseph Norwood ca1794 > Joseph Norwood ca1829 > Sidney Herbert Norwood 1864 > Sidney Oxborough Norwood 1891

Robert Doudeswell 1560 > Robert Doudeswell 1606 > Edward Dodswell 1659 > Alexander Dodswell 1686 > Thomas Dadswell 1732 > James Dadswell 1786 > Thomas William Dadswell 1828 > Helena Matilda Dadswell 1867 > Sidney Oxborough Norwood 1891

Sidney Oxborough Norwood 1891-1915

Sidney Oxborough Norwood, first child of Sidney Herbert and Helena Matilda (Dadswell) Norwood, was born on 30 December 1891 at Deniliquin, NSW, where his parents were living.

By the time of World War One, the family had a hotel at Tarnagulla in Central Victoria, and Sidney signed up there on 7 January 1915 for Army service. He was aged 23 and described himself as a labourer.

He joined the 5th Reinforcements, 6th Battalion on 2 March 1915 for training at Broadmeadows, Melbourne, and within six months he was overseas, on the Gallipoli Peninsula, in the ill-fated campaign against Turkish forces.

Sidney was not spared in the fighting - he joined his unit on 26 July 1915 and less than two weeks later, on 7 August 1915, he was reported missing in action.

It is unclear how quickly his family learned of this, but for more than a year his father badgered the Army to show that his son had, in fact, died in fighting.

As Sidney (senior) wrote: He was not seen killed, neither was he seen again after going into action - we never got his disk or any of his belongings.

The Army told the family on 27 September 1915 that it was seeking information on prisoners taken by Turkish forces - this was in responses to Sidney's persistent letters asking for more information about the circumstances of his son's supposed death.

Again after badgering Army authorities, Sidney sent his own telegram to the Turkish War Minister in Constantinople, asking for information (see picture at right - click for larger picture).

In the following year, on 24 April 1916, an Army Court of Enquiry was held at Erquinham (France) and made a finding that Sidney junior had been killed in action. It did this largely on the evidence of a unit member who said he had been told by another person that he had seen Sidney's body.

The family's sad saga continued. Sidney senior wrote to the Army on 6 May 1916:

Word came this morning from the local Postmistress informing me that my son was killed .... on August 7. Will you kindly inform how you arrive at this conclusion?

And on 7 August 1916 he wrote:

Kindly inform me if any further confirming document are to hand from the authorities at the front, re identification disk, his belongings, pay book, will form. Also when are you able to issue Certificate of Death. I think it is quite time I got more satisfaction.

He wrote yet again on 23 October 1916, asking for his son's personal effects.

Sadly, the family did not achieve any finality - as late as June 1921 the Army wrote that it had still not found any trace of the last resting place of Sidney junior.

Today, Sidney's name* is included on the Lone Pine Memorial (War Graves Commission picture at right), which stands on the site of the fiercest fighting in the area. It commemorates more than 4,900 Australian and New Zealand servicemen who died in the Anzac area but whose last resting place is not known.

* Sidney's name on his army enlistment document was given as 'Sydney', and it remained that way throughout his army life. His name on the Lone Pine Memorial is also given as Sydney.

Key family dates

Further information

Brothers/sisters of Sidney Oxborough Norwood
Norwood family line
Sidney Herbert Norwood, father of Sidney Oxborough Norwood
Helena Matilda Dadswell (generation 8 mother of Sidney Oxborough Norwood)