CWGC thanks the Thiepval Database Project for this story. It summarises information held at the Thiepval Visitor Centre.

Norman was born in Fallowfield, Manchester, one of at least seven children of Joseph (a painter and decorator) and Mary Currell who later lived at 138 Upper Lloyd Street, Moss Side, Manchester.

He was educated at the Upper Lloyd Street School, Moss Side and afterwards employed as a bath attendant. He was a keen swimmer and had won medals in competitions.

Initially he enlisted in Manchester on 4th May 1915, as Private 3715, 7th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. He overstated his age by three years, declared himself to be 19 years and 5 months. He was discharged because of his age on 26th July.

Undaunted, a month later, on 24th August, he enlisted at Heaton Park in the 21st Battalion and was sent to the 26th Battalion. He declared his age as 19 years 7 months (which was again overstated by three years). He went to France on 26th May 1916 and joined his battalion in the field on 14th June.

Norman died on 23rd July 1916, aged 17, during a disastrous attack on the heavily fortified village of Guillemont during the Battle of the Somme. Supporting artillery had failed to destroy German machine-gun nests or cut the defensive barbed wire. Advancing men were pinned down as the fog cleared, becoming easy targets for snipers and machine gunners from the village and a nearby quarry.

Private, 26923, Norman Currell, 19th Battalion, Manchester Regiment has no known grave and is commemorated on Pier and Face 14C of the Thiepval Memorial to The Missing on The Somme in France.