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Auction: 21003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 334

(x) Three: Gunner A. W. Nichols, Royal Artillery, late 104th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, who was made Prisoner of War after the fall of Kut el Amara and though he was fortunate to one of only 209 men exchanged after the surrender he never recovered from the Siege, dying of disease on 25 August 1916

1914-15 Star (37081 Gnr. A. W. Nichols, R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals (37081 Gnr. A. W. Nichols. R.A.); Bronze War Plaque (Arthur William Nichols), nearly extremely fine (4)

Arthur William Nichols was born at South Hackney, Middlesex in October 1890. Enlisting at Startford, Essex with the Royal Garrison Artillery before the War he was posted to 104th Heavy Battery in India. Stationed at Campbellpore when the war began the Battery was posted to Basra in January 1915, with Nichols arriving on 25 January. Serving as part of the 2nd Indian Corps garrison at Qurna from 1 April 1915, attached to 177th Infantry Brigade with a section at Kurmat Ali attached to the 66th Punjabs. Moving on by the end of July 1915 one section was at Al Gharbi on the Tigris and another section was at Amara. The Battery went into action on 26 September 1915 in support of 18th Infantry Brigade, however one section was destined to become one of those caught up in the disastrous Siege of Kut. This section, under the command of Major Farmer, was taken prisoner during the fall of Kut on 29 April 1916 including Nichols. By this stage much of the garrison was suffering from disease and malnutrition, maladies only made worse by the poor conditions in Ottoman P.O.W. camps. Few British other ranks were to be exchanged with the eventual number being 209, one of these was Nichols. Unfortunately he was already suffering severely from an illness picked up during the Siege. Upon his return to India he was posted to the Royal Artillery Depot in Jubbulpore, however his health deteriorate further and he died on 25 August 1916. Nichols is remembered on the Kirkee Memorial and buried at the Jubbulpore Cantonment Cemetery. After his death his mother, still living at 4 Victoria Grove, Morpeth Road South Hackney was awarded a pension; sold together with copied medal rolls, memorial and pension details as well as an original Royal Garrison Artillery cap badge.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£240

Starting price
£60