Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Norman Victor Mengersen was bornin Palmer, South Australia, on 8th of March 1896, to his mother Emilie Maria Muller and father Henry Conrad Mengersen. He studied at Prince Alfred College and was a cadet for two years. Norman Victor Mengersen had 3 siblings who all went to war. Their names were Herman Edgar Mengersen, Charles Herman Mengersen and Irwin Oscar Mengersen.

Before enlisting for the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in Adelaide, his occupation was a clerk. He enlisted on the 18th of November, 1915, at the age of 19 and 8 months and was assigned to the Army and Flying Corps with regimental number 4163. His height was 5 foot 7 inches or 170.18cm, which was equivalent to the average height at the time. He had brown eyes and dark hair with a medium complexion.

On the 9th of March in 1916, Private Norman Victor Mengersen embarked on the RMS Mongolia in Fremantle, Western Australia. The RMS Mongolia arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, where Australian and New Zealand troops camped and trained before fighting at the Western Front and Gallipoli. Private Norman Victor Mengersen was allocated under the 25th and 27th Australian Infantry Battalion (10th reinforcement) which were in the 7th brigade.

He served in the Western Front (France) as a gunner (Army Corps) and bombardier (Flying Corps). On May 5, 1916, Private Norman Victor Mengersen was promoted to Bombardier but was reverted back to Private rank 26th December 1916.

On May 4th, Private Norman Victor Mengersen was wounded in action. He received a severe Gun Shot Wound (GSW) to his right thigh and was transferred to Number 3 British General Hospital in Le Treport. The hospital records state that he was also suffering from an acute case of shell shock. Whilst in hospital, he experienced epilepsy. This occurrence led him to receive an injury certificate indicating he was medically unfit for further service as it is known to be a permanent condition.

Private Norman Victor Mengersen disembarked on the 24th of October, 1917. He arrived back to Australia on the 25th of August and was finally discharged on the 8th of November that year. He served for the AIF for 1 year and 356 days. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

After being discharged from the AIF, Norman Victor Mengersen worked as an accountant in Glenelg. He was married to Irene Surrey Harvey on the 17th of September, 1921, and gave birth to their child June Eileen Mengersen in 1922. On the 4th of November, 1927, Norman Victor Mengersen died of arsenic poison. He was found unconscious in the East Parklands and was confirmed dead at the Adelaide Hospital. He was displayed on The Advertiser Adelaide newspaper (Sat 5 Nov 1927, page 15) under Fatalities and Accidents and was titled "A Parklands Fatality".