Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

2nd Lieutenant Alan Charles Nutter of the 40th Squadron RFC and formerly AIF was killed in France on the 15th September 1917 when his Nieuport aircraft crashed. During an engine test on 15 September 1917, Second Lieutenant Nutter, flying Nieuport 23 aircraft B1578, spun into the ground from 2,000 feet near the Squadron’s Advanced Landing Ground. He is buried in the Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery Extension, 6 kilometres south of Bethune, and is the only Australian among the many hundreds in the cemetery. Nutter came from Sydney NSW, enlisted while still only 19 years of age and served in the 9th Field Company Engineers AIF, before transferring to the RFC. His brother, Lawrence Howard Nutter also served in the 5th Field Artillery Brigade, and was severely wounded with shrapnel in the back, both thighs and legs, resulting in him being returned to Australia in late 1917.

It was a right of every AIF man that they received a free passage back to Australia, and by these Australians volunteering for the Flying Corps they actually had to sign a form forfeiting that right.

One man queried this paragraph, 2nd Lieutenant Alan Nutter, 63rd Reserve Squadron RFC, wrote back on 20th May 1917, “Sir, in connection with the form,  “Proceedings on Discharge”, stating that no further claim can be made on the Commonwealth Government on discharge. Could you let me know what arrangement has been made in the event of me being disabled due to military service? By what means do you proceed in getting me home again to Australia? As at present no arrangement is shown on form. As my only relations are in Australia, and no arrangement made to proceed home if disabled due to military service. Could you please advise me as to this? Yours faithfully, A.C. Nutter, 2nd Lt. Royal Flying Corps."

He received a rather curt reply from the AIF HQ within 5 days, “Dear Sir, in reply to your letter of the 20th instant, it is intimated that by accepting your discharge from the Australian Imperial Force you relieve the Commonwealth Government of all liability of a free passage to Australia, and that your enquiries should now be submitted to the R.F.C Authorities. Kindly complete and return as soon as possible the form of “Proceedings on Discharge”, yours faithfully, Captain I/C Records AIF”.

In Alan Charles Nutter’s case, he would never require passage back to Australia, as he is buried in Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery Extension, 6 kilometres south of Bethune.

Second lieutenant Alan Charles Nutter, is one of the many Australians listed on the Sydney Technical High School honour board roll (2) who ventured off into World War One. He, among many others left behind his family, education, and career to serve his country before tragically passing at 20 years of age in an aircraft accident for the Royal Flying Corps on the 15th September 1917. (1). Nutter lived an impactful life leading to his enlistment in the war, with his skills reflecting his role in combat. Born on the 27th of September 1896 (7), son of Howard Nutter and Clara Gertrude Nutter, and brother to Lawrence Howard Nutter  (7), he grew up on Springdale Road, Killara NSW (7). He attended Sydney Technical High School from 1908 to 1914 (2), having an interest in engineering and mechanics. After his high school graduation, he pursued his goals and underwent apprenticeship in engineering, despite his profession being a carpenter, following a similar role to his older brother Lawrence, an electrical engineer who studied at the University of Sydney (7). Both brothers enlisted in the war, Alan Charles enlisted on the 21st of March 1916 at 19 years old (7), where he embarked on the 5th of July on the same year aboard the HMAT Ajana bound for Egypt (5).

Life during the World War One was a challenge for  Alan Charles Nutter, his rank at the time was a Sapper, part of the 9th Field Company Engineers (6), a combat engineer who performs military engineering tasks to support troop movements and hinder enemy progress. He was first deployed into battle in the Western Front campaign at Armentières (near Lille) during winter 1916–17 (6). Here they conducted trench improvements and support tasks; no major set-piece battle occurred in that sector and was mostly trench warfare (6). The work Nutter Alan Charles underwent was typically building and repairing trenches, laying barbed wire in no man's land at night, maintaining communications and building roads for troop movement (6).

On the 16th of March 1917, Nutter was discharged from the role as sapper and moved to the Royal Flying Corps with the rank of Second Lieutenant (6). New recruits for the flying force often were responsible for engine testing as it gave them practice in the air before launching into combat (6), however Nutter was fatally wounded during one of these tests, losing control of his aircraft resulting in his tragic death on the 15th September 1917 (4).

News of Nutter’s death spread to his family by cable, an article on Sunday Times, Sunday 17 October 1917 page 11 stated that “Lieut Nutter was one of the gallant youngsters who responded to the call for 200 Australian cadets for the RF..C,” (3) which show the bravery and value in his service on the First World War. Nutter was entitled to the awards of the British war medal, as well as the Victory medal (1), alongside these honours his name remains at the Sydney Technical High School war memorial which commemorated his name to this day (2). His body remains Buried in France at the Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery (4).

Endnotes

1 Australian War Memorial (AWM), Roll of Honour: Nutter, Alan Charles.

2 Sydney Technical High School, Honour Board Roll of World War I.

3 Sunday Times (Sydney), “Deaths of Officers,” 17 October 1917, p. 11.

4 Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), Casualty Record: Lieutenant Alan Charles Nutter.

5 Australian War Memorial, Embarkation Roll: Nutter, Alan Charles.

6 Australian War Memorial, Unit History: 9th Field Company Engineers and Royal Flying Corps, No. 40 Squadron.

7 National Archives of Australia (NAA), Service Record: Nutter, Alan Charles, Series B2455, Barcode 8073921.