Henry Norman Whitefield was born in Ballarat East and was a Labourer when he enlisted in the 8th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement on 5 January 1915 at the age of 21. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 14 April 1915. On May 26th, a month after the historic landing, he joined the 8th Battalion at Gallipoli. Ten days later, on June 5th, he suffered a gunshot wound to his right knee and was evacuated to hospital at Heliopolis in Egypt. He was there assessed as unfit for active service, and on July 29th , sailed on the Hororata to return to Australia where he was discharged as medically unfit – GSW right knee'.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Norman H. Whitfield.