Francis is listed by the CWGC as being killed/dying on 10th January 1915. However one of their own documents, a newspaper obituary and the 1st Battalion War Diary contradict the official record and give his date of death of the 8th January 1915. The war diary entries for the period 8th to 10th January 1915 are transcribed below together with the newspaper obituary.
War Diary Entries 8th to 10th January 1915
Near Cuinchy - 8.1.1915: Good deal of rain at intervals all day and very strong wind. About 3.45pm one of our Lyddite shells unfortunately dropping into C Coys trenches killed Captain F.C. Norbury and wounding badly Lt P.G. Chaworth-Musters and 2nd Lt B.F. Whiteley who were together in one part of the trench.
At dark C & D Coys were relieved by A & B.
Major Armitage and Captain Denison rejoined and assumed command of C & D Coys respectively.
Besides the Officers we had on L/Cpl killed on an advanced post and two Rfmn wounded, one of whom died in hospital.
Near Cuinchy - 9.1.1915: Quiet day except for our artillery which was active at times.
The Germans put a few Howitzer shells near our reserve Coys billets but did no harm.
At dark C and D boys relieved A and B.
A certain amount of rain during day. Casualties Nil
Near Cuinchy - 10.1.1915: In order to divert the attention of the enemy from a small attack made by the 2nd Bde. on the left of our old trenches near Cuinchy a heavy artillery bombardment began by all our guns at 1:45 pm; our troops in the trenches fired short bursts of rapid fire and our trench mortars also fired apparently with good results.
As it was a bright sunny afternoon it was easy to observe our artillery fire which apparently was very accurate and to which the Germans only made a feeble reply.
They were observed running about from one part of their trenches to another presumably into dug outs further back, as one or two who tried to climb up into a loft of a ruined house opposite our trenches were shot by our snipers.
At dark A and B Coys relieved C and D. After dark rain started again.
Casualties 2 killed, 1 wounded who afterwards died.
Newspaper Obituary
Stratford Herald Friday 15th January 1915
DEATH OF CAPTAIN FRANCIS CAMPBELL NORBURY
News was received at the beginning of the week of the death of this young and gallant officer which occurred in action at Bethune on 8th inst. He was the youngest son of Dr. and Mrs. Norbury of Lench House, Stratford upon Avon and was very popular with those who formed the younger portion of the population in his school days. The announcement of his death came as a great shock to his parents who are so well known and widely esteemed in the town and we are sure they will have the deep sympathy of the whole population in their sad bereavement.
Captain Norbury at the outbreak of the war held a captain’s commission in the OTC, was gazetted captain in the Kings Royal Rifles Corps 60th Rifles on October 21st of last year and jointed the Expeditionary Force on 23rd November. To show how promising a soldier he was and how largely he was respected we make the following extract from a letter received from his commanding officer: “I cannot tell you how well and gallantly your dear boy has commanded C company of my battalion since he came out, most ably helping me to make good soldiers out nearly raw material of special reservists enlisted or embodied mostly only since the war began. A shell fell most unfortunately this afternoon, 8th January into the dug-out in which your boy was resting. To our great grief he was instantaneously killed.
He could have known nothing about it. I believe he was resting asleep after a long and hard night and day’s work. He had only been with us a short time but he had made himself beloved and respected by us all and had proved himself a most brave and capable officer. I feel his loss and you must also most deeply. A final or more touching testimony could not be borne to a young soldier’s merits.”
