Name
Norman Brabazon Dick
1 Aug 1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/04/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
6th Bn. attd. 17th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Applicable
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham, Merchant Taylors School Memorial (Great Hall), Moor Park, Merchant Taylors School Memorial (Cricket Pavilion), Moor Park, Merchant Taylors School Memorial (Sports Ground Clubhouse), Moor Park, Bedford Modern School, Bedford
Pre War
Norman was born in 1882 in Brighton, the second son to parents John and Leonora (nee. Brabazon). His father John served as an East India Merchant.
Norman distinguished himself academically from an early age, gaining scholarships to Bedford Modern School, then onto Merchant Taylors, where he was to represent their A side at rugby for two seasons, between 1899-1901. Going on to the hallowed halls of Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge he was to distinguish himself further as a mathematician and continued his undergraduate studies to take a Masters Degree. Following his graduation he spent a number of years as assistant master at Sutton Valence School, in Kent and also had a role as an army tutor prior to taking up a role as Mathematics master at Aldenham in 1908. There he is noted as continuing to take an active interest in inter-schools chess, and it is during his period teaching there that he was to turn out for The Saracens Rugby Club.
Wartime Service
In December 1914, he enlisted in the 16th Middlesex battalion, a battalion with strong links to the Public Schools. His education, and experience as a schoolmaster would appear to make him a prime candidate for officer training, but Norman originally enlisted and served as a private, only becoming an officer in 1916.
He spent a year in training in England: travelling between Kempton Park Racecourse, Warlingham, joining the 100th Brigade at Clipstone Camp in July 1915 and then at Perham Down for final training in August.
The ‘Public Schools Battalion’ finally landed on the Western Front in 17th November 1915, serving primarily around Morbecque. By February they were transferred to General Headquarters, before going back to the frontline with the 29th division on the 25th April. Norman, however, had been transferred, in April 1916, to a cadet battalion at Gales, Ayrshire. Meanwhile 16th were to be heavily involved at the battle of the Somme.
Four months in Scotland was broken by a transfer to the 6th Middlesex, in Chatham. The Battalion had been serving as frontline reliefs, when he and a portion of his regiment were surrounded by a much larger force. He was reported wounded and missing on 28th April. Hope remained for a number of days of capture, however he had (according to a fellow officer) been hit by a German Sniper and “never moved after he fell.”
Biography
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Tony James
