Private Norman Franklin Mintorn, 17th Australian Infantry Battalion
Australian War MemorialNorman Mintorn was born on 19 December 1895 in the coastal city of Wollongong in New South Wales. Known as Norm, he was one of six children born to local jail warder William Mintorn and his wife Julia. He received his education at the local public school and played on its soccer team. After he left school, he worked at the town clerk’s office as well as serving in the Citizen’s Forces and playing on the local cricket team. He was regarded as one of their star players, and also enjoyed cycling. At the outbreak of the war in 1914 he was working in nearby Port Kembla at the electrolytic works.
Norm Mintorn enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 20 April 1915, and began a short period of training in Australia. Though aged just 19, he quickly stood out among his comrades and was specially selected to join the 1st Reinforcements of the 17th Battalion. Having been in camp for less than one month, he embarked for active service on 12 May aboard the troopship Themistocles.
Mintorn’s unit arrived in Egypt a month later. There, it continued training in preparation to join Australians on Gallipoli, who had been there since April. Like many others, Mintorn became ill shortly after arriving in Egypt. Suffering from dysentery as a result of contaminated food and unhygienic conditions, his health quickly deteriorated. He was taken to hospital in Cairo for treatment, but the illness had already taken hold, and he died there on 30 June 1915.
After his death, his friends and comrades organised for a special headstone to be erected over his grave. His comrade Private Walter Kirwan, also from Wollongong, wrote in one of his letters home: “I will get a photo taken of Norm Minton’s grave and send it to his parents as we have a headstone erected which went to show how liked he was by his comrades in the battalion. Our officer, Lieutenant Fussell, is giving two guineas towards it.”
A memorial service at home was held for Norm Minton in the local Presbyterian church. His grieving family and friends remembered him in a simple note posted in the Illawarra Mercury which read:
“One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name.”
Private Norm Mintorn was 19 years old.
- Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1646690
