Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Nikolai Bortzell Aagaard

World War 1 officially began in 1914, August 4th and lasted until the 11th of November 1918. It is often referred to as ‘the Great War’ and ‘one of the most devastating events of all time.’ There were roughly 17 million deaths during this war, 60 thousand of them Australian and 156 thousand of them were injured or gassed. (AWM, 2017) The cause of the far (or usually referred to as the tipping point of the war) Once this occurred sides were taken: the Western front and the Eastern front.

Nikolai Bortzell Aagaard was born in Larvik, Norway on the 2nd of August 1888. His parents have not been recorded and he has a sister, Bergljot Aagaard. He moved to Australia - Mount Tamborine, Queensland - when he was 13 in 1901. Prior to enlisting, was an accountant. (RSL, 2014)

When he was 28 years old he enlisted to join the army. (24th of April 1916) He enlisted in Rockhampton, Queensland. He was appointed to 5th reinforcement, 13th Machine Gun Company. On the 19th of September he embarked from Melbourne as a Private on the HMAT A73 Commonwealth. (RSL, 2014)

Aagaard landed in Plymouth, England on the 14th of November 1916. On the 15th of November he marched in from disembarking off of SS Commonwealth. On the 23rd of November his battalion marched in ex Parkhouse, Australian Machine Gun Training Depot. They then marched out to Grantham on the same day. (NAA, 2001)

On the 15th of January, 1917 he was taken on strength by the 21st Machine Gun Company. Then he proceeded to France ex Australian Machine Gun Training Depot on the 17th of March. It’s presumed by looking at his records that he fought in the First Battle of Bullecourt, and that is how he sustained his injury. 16/4/1917, Aagaard was admitted into the 3rd Field Ambulance and sent to Casualty Clearing Station in France concerning a gunshot wound to his left thigh. Later, 20/4/1917 he was admitted to Number 12 Casualty Clearing Station, Rouen. Aagaard ran away from hospital and was awarded 7 days without pay (3-5/5/1917)

On the 14th of May he was discharged to Base Depot and on the 19th he was discharged to Machine Gun Base Depot. After roughly a month (20/6/1917) He joined his unit in Camier, France. At the beginning of August he was promoted to Temporary Corporal. Later (21/9/1917) Aagaard was promoted to Corporal of the 21st Machine Gun Company, in the field. The very same day he was promoted to Temporary Sergeant. On the 18th of October he was reverted to Corporal, before proceeding to Officers Training School in England. Aagaard qualified at No.6 Officers Cadet Battalion and was selected to attend Machine Gun Depot in Belton Park, England. (23/3/1918) (NAA, 2001)

Aagaard was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 1/5/1918.  On the 16th of June he was attached to the 1st Machine Gun Battalion. He was admitted to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Buford. While his illness/injury wasn’t recorded he was in hospital for 46 days. He was discharged 6/8/1918. He was taken on strength by the 1st Machine Gun Battalion from Cadet Unit. Aagaard was promoted to Lieutenant on the 12 of September, and he kept this rank until he was discharged.

He marched in from unit, Havre, France, (16/3/1919) and he marched out to unit (17/3/1919) From the dates 26/3/1919 to 24/7/1919 he was granted extended leave without pay, due to family reasons. On the 26th of July Aagaard marched in from HQ, South Veny, London. He returned to Australia on the HMAT A71 Nestor (1/11/1919). On the 31st of January, 1920, he was discharged from service. (NAA, 2001).

After the war he married a woman by the name of Doris Susan Archer and had three children: Karin Aagaard, John Archer Aagaard and Helen Aagaard. Nikolai and Doris ran a business producing furniture and carvings. They moved to Mount Tamborine, Queensland where they had a creative studio. In 1950 Doris and Nikolai showed some of their work at the Royal National Agricultural & Industrial Association of Queensland, and Aagaard won 1st place for relief woodcarving.

In 1955, the 16th of July, he passed away of natural causes, and he is now buried at the Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Military Factory, n.d. American War Deaths [Online]
Available at: http://www.militaryfactory.com/american_war_deaths.asp
[Accessed 3rd April 2017]

Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3016208 [Accessed 5 Apr. 2017].

National Australian Archives. (2011). Detail Reports.
[online] Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3016208&isAv=N
[Accessed 5 Apr. 2017]

Awm.gov.au. (2057). First World War 1914–18 | Australian War Memorial.
[online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/ww1/
[Accessed 4 Apr. 2017].

Born:                 2/8/1888  at    Larvik, Norway
Father   ____
Next of kin:        Sister  Miss Bergljot Aagaard, Larvik, Norway

Came to Australia from Norway in the early 1900’s and worked as an Accountant  (info from grand daughter Penny).

Occupation:      Stockman (on enlisting)
Last residence  Gracemere, via Rockhampton QLD

He was known as “NIKO”.

Described on enlisting as 28 years old; single; 5’ 11” tall; 10 stone 5 lbs;
fair complexion; blue eyes; fair hair;  Lutheran.

24/4/1916         Enlisted   at   Rockhampton  QLD
                         Commanding Officer appointed Nikolai to 5th Reinf, 13th Machine Gun Company

19/9/1916         Embarked from Melbourne on  HMAT A73 Commonwealth 
                         Private in 13th Machine Gun Company – 5th Reinforcements

The HMAT A73 Commonwealth weighed 6,616 tons with an average cruise speed of 14 knots or 25.92 kmph. It was owned by the P & O SN Co, London, and leased by the Commonwealth until 23 June 1917.

15/1/1917         Taken on strength from 13th Machine Gun Company, England
                         into 21st machine gun Company

17/3/1917         Procceded overseas to france, ex Australian Machine Gun Training Depot, Southampton

16/4/1917         Gun shot wound left thigh – France
                         Admitted into 3rd Field Ambulance
                         Sent to Casualty Clearing Station, France

20/4/1917          Admitted GSW left thigh No.12 Casualty Clearing Station, Rouen

14/5/1917          Discharged to Base Depot
19/5/1917          From hospital to Machine Gun Base Depot

1/7/1917            Rejoined unit from hospital - Camier, France

1/8/1917            Promoted to Temporary Corporal, France

21/9/1917          Promoted to Corporal, 21st Machine Gun Company,in the Field, France

21/9/1917          Promoted to Temporary Sergeant, 21st Machine Gun Company, France

18/10/1917        Reverted to Corporal on proceeding to Officers Training School England  (PHOTO)

9/11/1917          Corporal reported to No.6 Offcer Cadet School, Oxford, London
                          On successful completion of course, will attend Machine Gun Course

23/3/1918          Qualified at No.6 Officers Cadet Battalion and selected to attend Machine Gun Depot, Belton Park, England

1/5/1918            Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant

16/6/1918          Attached to 1st Machine Gun Battalion

22/6/1918          Admitted 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford – sick (46 days)
6/8/1918            Discharged

9/9/1919            Taken on strength 1st Machine Gun Battalion from Cadet Unit
12/9/1918          Promoted to Lieutenant

26/3/1919          Granted leave without pay – family reasons
to  24/6/1919 to
24/7/1919          extended leave without pay by sister Miss B Aagaard)

26/7/1919          Instructed to proceed to No.2 Group for duty
26/7/1919          Marched in from HQ, South Veny, London

1/11/1919          Returned to Australia on HMAT A71 Nestor, ex England

31/1/1920          Discharged from service

Medals:
British War medal (21601); Victory medal (21011)

1919 married     Doris Susan Archer (b.1899 – d.1980)
                          Grandaughter of  David Archer – of the pioneering Archer family of North QLD.

Children:
Daughter           Karin Aagaard (b.1922 – d. 1979) – m. Harry Delpratt
Son:                  John Archer Aagaard  (b. 5/6/1927 – d. 11/1/2013) (m. Mary Glynn Curtis)
Daughter:          Helen Aagaard
The children grew up near Biloela, on ‘Torsdale’ a station Niko managed for Archer Brothers.

Doris and Niko retired from Central Qld and moved to Mount Tamborine.

In the mid-1960s, with three or four like-minded women, Doris Aagaard established a centre for creative arts at Mount Tamborine, Queensland. Prior to this she and her husband, Nikolai, operated a small carving studio and furniture business. This studio was called 'Larvik' and employed three cabinet-makers to create furniture in keeping with their designs.

Doris and Nickolai both carved but for the most part Doris designed, using motifs from a folio of Nordic designs. Together they created bookcases, cupboards, fire-place surrounds, chests of drawers, coffee tables and shelves. In 1950 the couple exhibited at the Royal National Agricultural & Industrial Association of Queensland where Nikolai received 1st prize for relief woodcarving.

16/7/1955          Died
Buried in:           Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens
                          Columbarium 12; Section 7

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  30 September 2014.  Lest we forget.