Private Norman Bradshaw
486 (later 352250) Royal Army Medical Corps
Lived at 40 Granville Street Briercliffe
Survived the sinking of the "Royal Edward" 13/8/1915

(All research below courtesy of Andrew Mackay)

Norman was born 17th April 1896 and enlisted in Burnley in the 2/2nd East Lancashire Field Ambulance (Callams Own) on the 24th November 1914, his recruiting officer was Captain Alexander Callam.
Before the War he worked as a cotton weaver and resided at 40 Granville Street, Harle Syke, Burnley with his parents.
They trained at Southport, Colwall in Herefordshire and Heathfield in Sussex,
on the 30th July 1915 he disembarked from Devonport for Gallipoli, Turkey on the ill-fated “Royal Edward” and on Friday 13th August 1915 the “Royal Edward” was sunk by one torpedo from the “UB 14”, with the loss of 1000 men.
Norman survived the sinking; on the morning of the 13th August he had gone below for breakfast and realised it was fish. Not being a fish lover he went back up on deck when the torpedo struck.

On the 16th October he was drafted to the 1/2nd East Lancashire Field Ambulance at Gallipoli Turkey. When he arrived the battalion was at Gully Ravine and the Field Ambulance was in winter quarters at Gully Beach.

On the 26th November Norman was admitted to Hospital and discharged to Base Camp on the 28th December 1915.
He rejoined the 1/2nd on the 30th January 1916 at Shallufa near Suez, Egypt.
During this period in Egypt he was charged with talking on parade on the 6th February 1916 and on the 20th February 1916 was charged again for showing disrespect to a Warrant Officer. On the 13th May 1916 he was admitted to hospital with a sprained ankle and discharged on the 15th May, on the 12th July he was re-admitted to hospital with conjunctivitis and he rejoined his unit at El Ferdan. He was granted a good conduct badge on the 24th November 1916.
At the end of February 1917 all units were entrained for Alexander and on the 26th February 1917 embarked on Transport ships for Marseilles, France.
They called in at Malta on the 1st March; at this period the Mediterranean was infested with enemy submarines but only one torpedo was fired at the transports and this passed by.
They disembarked at Marseilles on the 6th March 1917 and entrained for Pont Remy, near Abbeville a journey of 60 hours and detrained in a storm of snow and sleet to march through deep freezing slush to there billet’s in the village.
Motor Ambulances were supplied to the Field Ambulance and the Division moved up to the Somme sector.
On the 21st March Norman was again charged with talking on parade.
He was granted 11 days leave to England on the 8th July to the 18th July.
Between July and August the Division was at Courcelles in tents and the six weeks in this area partook of the nature of a holiday, though the days were fully taken up by intensive training, time was found for Divisional and Brigade sports, inter-Battalion football and cricket matches, boxing contest were keenly appreciated.

1/2nd football team Norman front centre with ball

On the 23rd of August 1917 the Division arrived at Ypres the most detested of all fronts and stayed here to the 26th September when the Division took over the costal sector of Nieuport. The Battalion was ordered to the La Bassee sector and arrived on the 29th November 1917 after a five day road march.
The Division started to move up to the Somme area on the 23rd March 1918, the German’s had started the Great German offensive on the 21st March and the Division was used to plug the gaps.
On August 28th 1918 Norman was granted 14 days leave to England he overstayed by 18 hours and was fortified 3 days pay and on the 3rd November he was drafted to the 1/3rd East Lancashire Field Ambulance.
He proceeded back to England with the Division on the 1st April 1919 and was demobilized on the 31st March 1920 after 5 years and 129 days of service.
Norman died on the 6th September 1973 at the age of 77, he resided at 5 Granville Street, Harle-Syke and was a retired weaver, he was cremated and his ashes are interred in the Dent family grave at St James’s Church, Briercliffe.

Football Medal won by Norman - see page 96 of the 42nd Div history