Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 27th May.... Herbert Garonne Nixon was born at sea on Orient S.S. Garonne in Indian Ocean on 20th December, 1881 to parents Samuel and Agnes Rothery Nixon. He was aged 3 weeks when he arrived in Australia.

Herbert Nixon’s mother had apparently died when Herbert was 5 years old & his father died a few years later. Herbert Nixon was not formally adopted legally & had no blood relations. (Information provided in a letter by daughter of Foster mother).

Herbert Garonne Nixon had previously served in the following Military before enlisting in A.I.F. - 3rd Contingent for South Africa; Australian Rifles (6th Regt. Infantry Vol.); NSW Permanent Infantry; NSW Marine Light Infantry.

Herbert Garonne Nixon had served throughout the Boxer Rebellion with the NSW Marine Light Infantry embarking from Sydney on 7th August, 1900. After the Rebellion he remained in China, employed on British Imperial Railways. He endeavoured to enlist from China for service abroad early in 1915 but was rejected. He came to Sydney specially to enlist in A.I.F. (Military information from Roll of Honour supplied by Louisa M. Jones, foster mother, 121 Cook Rd, Paddington, NSW).

Herbert Garonne Nixon enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 22nd July, 1915 as a 34 year old, single Salesman (Traveller for British American Tobacco Company) from Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW.

Private Nixon embarked from Sydney on HMAT Ballarat (A70) on 6th September, 1915 with the 20th Infantry Battalion, 5th Reinforcements. The next entry in his Service Record file recorded he was transferred to 56th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 16th February, 1916.

Private Nixon embarked from Alexandria on 19th June, 1916 & arrived at Marseille, France on 29th June, 1916.

Private Nixon was appointed Lance Corporal from 2nd September, 1916 but reverted back to the rank of Private, at his own request, on 24th September, 1916.

Private Nixon was on leave of absence from 13th December, 1916 & rejoined from leave on 29th December, 1916.

Private Nixon was sent to Summer Rest Camp in France from 28th June, 1917 & rejoined his Unit in France on 9th July, 1917.

Private Herbert Garonne Nixon was wounded in action in France on 23rd September, 1917. He was admitted to Field Ambulance with gunshot wound to right foot then transferred to Casualty Clearing Station then on to 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereux, France on 24th September, 1917, via Ambulance Train. Private Nixon was invalided to England on Hospital Ship & admitted to Queen’s Hospital at Birmingham (Southern General Hospital) on 29th September, 1917 & transferred to Dartford on 27th November, 1917.

Private Nixon was on furlo from 1st January, 1918 to 15th January, 1918, when he was to report to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire. He was medically classified as B1 A2 – fit for Overseas Training Camp in three to four weeks.

Private Nixon was sent to 1st Southern General Hospital at Birmingham from Sutton Veny on 24th March, 1918 & admitted with Rheumatism. He was marched in from Hospital to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 2nd April, 1918 & medically classified as C1 – fit for Home Service only.

Private Nixon was admitted to the Group Clearing Hospital at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 27th May, 1918.
Private Herbert Garonne Nixon died at 4.30 p.m. on 27th May, 1918 at the Sutton Veny Group Clearing Hospital of Epilepsy & Syncope.

The Red Cross Wounded & Missing file for Private Nixon contains a letter from O.C. No. 1 Command Depot, Cyclists’ Camp, Sutton Veny which reads:
” Re 2417 Pte Nixon H.G., 56th Battn, A.I.F. This man had been marked permanently unfit for General Service but fit for Home Service. He was carrying on as a clerk when he was taken suddenly ill and died almost immediately. He had never previously complained nor paraded sick while in the Depot. The cause of his death was Chronic Meningitis of some years standing. He is buried in Sutton Veny Church Yard Cemetery and was given a Military Funeral.”

Private Nixon was buried in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England where 140 other WW1 Australian War Graves & 2 Australian WW1 Nurses are located.

From details surrounding his Will it was discovered that “Shortly before his death Private Nixon became engaged to an English girl and a day or two after his death she wrote his foster Mother a letter, from which I quote one of two extracts.
• “I have all papers, letters etc, everything except his ring, which up to present is missing”.
• “They know I was being married to him & say I am nearest of kin”.
• “In his pay book Ross’s name appears & as far as I know, unless you have it, he leaves no will.”
From this it appears that this girl has been given his belongings, including his pay book and shall be glad if you can advise me whether this is so and on what authority was it done. My husband’s parents, who were Pte Nixon’s foster parents, were named by him when enlisting as his next-of-kin, and as he has left a Will here, all his effects of course belong to his Estate & should have been forwarded here…..”

Private Herbert Garonne Nixon was entitled to 1914/15 Star, British War Medal & the Victory Medal. A Memorial Scroll & Memorial Plaque were also sent to the next of kin. In Private Nixon’s case the items were sent to Louisa M. Jones, foster Mother, but she was required to sign a Statutory Declaration, dated 15th November, 1920, stating that she would “preserve with due care any war medals or other items given into custody on account of the services rendered by the late No. 2417 Private H. G. Nixon, 56th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, and to return them to the Department of Defence upon demand in writing, should they be required for the purpose of being handed to someone having a prior claim to myself.”

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/n---q.html