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'.

His father Henry James and his brother Reginald also served in the AIF are honoured with trees in the Avenue.

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