Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Nesbitt Vivian OLLIS was born in Sydney on 12th July, 1894

His parents were John Poole OLLIS & Elizabeth Martha STANFORD who married in Sydney in 1887

Nesbitt Vivian Ollis was born on 12 July 1894 in Sydney, the son of Reverend John Poole Ollis and Elizabeth Martha Stanford Ollis. He grew up in Marrickville at 38 Park Street with three older brothers and two half-sisters. He was baptised in the Church of England as an infant, a faith that remained central to his life.

Ollis received his early education at Stanmore Public School and later attended Burwood High School, Sydney Technical College, and Sydney Technical High School. He showed talent both academically and creatively, excelling in music and sport. He studied piano under the London College of Music, played football, and was remembered by his peers as both athletic and artistic. After school, he undertook an apprenticeship as a journalist with the Sydney Daily Telegraph, working for four years before enlisting.

On 7 March 1916, at the age of 21, Ollis enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. Initially below the old height requirement of 168 cm, his 164 cm stature was only made eligible by the lowering of standards in 1915. He embarked on HMAT Benalla (A24) on 1 May 1916, bound for England. By the end of that year, he was serving as a gunner in the 25th Field Artillery Battery, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, 3rd Division. His work as an artilleryman demanded physical endurance, precision, and clear communication, qualities he possessed in abundance.

Ollis fought on the Western Front in some of the war’s most gruelling battles, including Messines, Passchendaele, and Broodseinde. Despite illness and injury—including time in hospital after the Battle of Messines—he returned to his unit and was promoted to Bombardier in October 1917, a recognition of his bravery and leadership. Fellow soldiers recalled his resilience, describing him as both cheerful and dependable.

In February 1918, during heavy German shelling, Ollis was badly wounded by shrapnel in the back, buttocks, and hand. He was evacuated to hospital, where his leg was amputated, but he succumbed to his wounds on 23 February 1918 at the age of 23. He was buried at Baulieu Communal Cemetery Extension in northern France. His comrades fashioned a wooden cross for his grave, a mark of deep respect and mateship.

His family endured months of grief and confusion, struggling to recover his personal effects. Though they eventually received word of his death, many of his belongings were lost when the SS Barunga, carrying effects and wounded soldiers, was sunk by a German submarine off Sicily in July 1918. His will left all of his possessions to his mother, or, if she had predeceased him, to be shared equally among his siblings.

Nesbitt Vivian Ollis is commemorated on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, on the honour board of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, and at Sydney Technical High School. 

Nesbitt Vivian Ollis was born on 12 July 1894 in Sydney, the son of Reverend John Poole Ollis and Elizabeth Martha Stanford Ollis. He grew up in Marrickville at 38 Park Street with three older brothers and two half-sisters. He was baptised in the Church of England as an infant, a faith that remained central to his life.

Ollis received his early education at Stanmore Public School and later attended Burwood High School, Sydney Technical College, and Sydney Technical High School. He showed talent both academically and creatively, excelling in music and sport. He studied piano under the London College of Music, played football, and was remembered by his peers as both athletic and artistic. After school, he undertook an apprenticeship as a journalist with the Sydney Daily Telegraph, working for four years before enlisting.

On 7 March 1916, at the age of 21, Ollis enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. Initially below the old height requirement of 168 cm, his 164 cm stature was only made eligible by the lowering of standards in 1915. He embarked on HMAT Benalla (A24) on 1 May 1916, bound for England. By the end of that year, he was serving as a gunner in the 25th Field Artillery Battery, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, 3rd Division. His work as an artilleryman demanded physical endurance, precision, and clear communication, qualities he possessed in abundance.

Ollis fought on the Western Front in some of the war’s most gruelling battles, including Messines, Passchendaele, and Broodseinde. Despite illness and injury—including time in hospital after the Battle of Messines—he returned to his unit and was promoted to Bombardier in October 1917, a recognition of his bravery and leadership. Fellow soldiers recalled his resilience, describing him as both cheerful and dependable.

In February 1918, during heavy German shelling, Ollis was badly wounded by shrapnel in the back, buttocks, and hand. He was evacuated to hospital, where his leg was amputated, but he succumbed to his wounds on 23 February 1918 at the age of 23. He was buried at Baulieu Communal Cemetery Extension in northern France. His comrades fashioned a wooden cross for his grave, a mark of deep respect and mateship.

His family endured months of grief and confusion, struggling to recover his personal effects. Though they eventually received word of his death, many of his belongings were lost when the SS Barunga, carrying effects and wounded soldiers, was sunk by a German submarine off Sicily in July 1918. His will left all of his possessions to his mother, or, if she had predeceased him, to be shared equally among his siblings.

Nesbitt Vivian Ollis is commemorated on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, on the honour board of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, and at Sydney Technical High School.